O-lineman Solder takes pay cut to stay with Giants

The Giants entered the preliminary stages of their offseason planning not knowing if Nate Solder, their towering offensive tackle, wanted to return to the game or if his year away from football was going to take him into retirement. Once Solder decided he wanted back in, the Giants went to work restructuring his contract so his return would make sense within their salary cap limitations.

For several days, a new deal was in the works, and the Giants were confident Solder would come to terms, giving them salary-cap relief. A deal is now in the books, and though it is a financial blow for Solder, it will save the Giants $6 million on their 2021 salary cap, The Post confirmed.

The 6-foot-8, 325-pound Solder was scheduled to make $10 million in salary this season. The slashing reduces that to about $4 million, including some bonus money. Solder, who will turn 33 next month, started all 32 games at left tackle in his first two years with the Giants after signing a four-year, $62 million deal that, for a time, made him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. He opted out of the 2020 season, citing COVID-19 concerns — his kindergarten-age son is in cancer treatment and Solder himself previously had testicular cancer.

Solder’s original contract had him counting $16.5 million on this year’s salary cap, which was never going to work. With the $4 million in salary and $6.5 million in prorated bonus, Solder’s cap hit was reduced to approximately $10.5 million. If the Giants released Solder, the move would have saved the Giants the same $6 million on this year’s cap, with $10.5 million in a dead money charge. Keeping him is a better option.

The cut in pay is commensurate with what likely will be a change in role. The Giants took Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft and, after a down-and-up rookie year, he remains their starting left tackle. The Giants hope Matt Peart, a third-round pick last year, can emerge as their starting right tackle in his second season. If that is the case, Solder would provide insurance on the roster as a backup swing tackle. If Peart cannot handle the starting role, or if Solder simply beats him out, Solder would move in as the starting right tackle, a position he has not played since his 2011 rookie year with the Patriots.

The Giants made official the previously reported re-signings of DT Austin Johnson and WR C.J. Board and announced the re-signing of long snapper Casey Kreiter. Devante Downs, a Week 1 starter at inside linebacker — he started seven more games last season — was not tendered as a restricted free agent, so he became an unrestricted free agent.