State of the Giants' offensive line
On Wednesday, the Giants officially announced that veteran offensive tackle Nate Solder will return to the team in 2021 after signing a new contract.
Solder opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the 32-year-old now set to return to the fold, he will join Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart, Nick Gates and several other promising young players in the OL room.
Below is a breakdown of the state of the Giants' offensive line with the league calendar now officially flipped to 2021.
Current depth at OT: Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart, Nate Solder, Jackson Barton, Kyle Murphy
Free agents: Cameron Fleming
Andrew Thomas was selected with the fourth overall pick in last year's draft and served as the team's starting left tackle as a rookie. Matt Peart was drafted in the third round of last year's draft and played in 11 games during his rookie campaign with one start. Nate Solder signed with the team in 2018 and started all 32 games at left tackle before opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will return to the team in 2021 after signing a new contract this week. Jackson Barton was claimed off waivers prior to the start of last season but did not play. Kyle Murphy was signed as an undrafted free agent last year and spent most of the season on the practice squad. Cameron Fleming was signed last offseason and went on to start all 16 games at right tackle. Fleming is now a free agent.
Current depth at G: Will Hernandez, Shane Lemieux, Chad Slade (reserve/future deal), Kenny Wiggins (reserve/future deal)
Free agents: None
Will Hernandez was a second-round pick of the Giants in 2018 and has started 39 games over the last three seasons, including seven games in 2020. Shane Lemieux played in 12 games with nine starts after being taken in the fifth round of last year's draft. Chad Slade was signed in 2019 and has spent most of the last two seasons on the practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for three games in 2020 and was once again signed to a reserve/future deal after the season. Kenny Wiggins spent the second half of the season on the practice squad and was signed to a reserve/future deal at the conclusion of the season. Veteran Kevin Zeitler was released last week after two seasons with the Giants.
Current depth at C: Nick Gates, Jonotthan Harrison
Free agents: Spencer Pulley
Nick Gates signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He started several games at different positions along the o-line in 2019 before becoming the full-time center in 2020, where he started all 16 games. Jonotthan Harrison was recently signed to a contract to serve as Gates' backup and provide depth across the o-line. Spencer Pulley was claimed off waivers prior to the start of the 2018 season and has played in 17 games with 10 starts since. Pulley is now a free agent.
View the team's current depth on the roster along the offensive line
Andrew Thomas
Matt Peart
Nate Solder
Will Hernandez
Shane Lemieux
Nick Gates
Jonotthan Harrison
Jackson Barton
Kyle Murphy
Chad Slade
Kenny Wiggins
Andrew Thomas (78)
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) on the line of scrimmage during an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys beat the Giants 37-34. (Cooper Neill via AP)
New York Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas (78) blocks during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020 in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams defeated the Giants 17-9. (Greg Trott via AP)
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) during a week 1 regular season Monday Night football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium on September 13th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) during a week 15 regular season football game against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on December 20th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants offensive lineman Andrew Thomas is pictured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Seattle. The Giants won 17-12. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) catches the ball in the endzone during an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys beat the Giants 37-34. (Cooper Neill via AP)
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) during a week 8 regular season Monday Night football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on November 2nd, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) lines up on the line of scrimmage during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 22-21. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 03: The New York Giants take on the Dallas Cowboys at Metlife Stadium on January 3, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Ben Solomon/New York Giants)
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) during a week 14 regular season football game against the Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium on December 13th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants tackle Matt Peart (74) blocks during an NFL game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Landover, MD. The Giants defeated Washington 23-20. (Al Tielemans via AP)
Riley Dixon (9), Graham Gano (5), Matt Peart (74)
Matt Peart (74)
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) during a week 6 regular season football game against the Washington Football Team at MetLife Stadium on October 18th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) signals prior to the play during an NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Monday, Nov. 02, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Buccaneers beat the Giants 25-23. (Cooper Neill via AP)
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) walks towards the sideline during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. Rams won 17-9. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Matt Peart (74)
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) in action during an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
New York Giants offensive tackle Matt Peart (74) during a week 3 regular season football game against the San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on September 27h, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) takes part in a week 12 regular season game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday November 24th, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) during a week 16 regular season game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday December 22nd, 2019 in Landover, Maryland
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) takes part in a week 1 regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday September 8th, 2019 in Arlington, Texas
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) during a week 13 regular season game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday December 1st, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) celebrates a touchdown pass with New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) during a week 16 regular season game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday December 22nd, 2019 in Landover, Maryland
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) takes part in a week 15 regular season game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday December 15, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants LT Nate Solder (76) during a week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) blocks during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Philadelphia. The Eagles defeated the Giants in overtime, 23-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)
New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) takes part in a week 8 regular season game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday October 27th, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan
New York Giants G Will Hernandez (71) during a week 9 game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ
Will Hernandez (71)
New York Giants offensive lineman Will Hernandez (71) lines up against the Cincinnati Bengals during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Cincinnati. The Giants defeated the Bengals 19-17. (Joe Robbins via AP)
New York Giants TE Evan Engram (88) & OL Will Hernandez during week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, TX
New York Giants guard Will Hernandez (71) during a week 14 regular season football game against the Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium on December 13th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Will Hernandez (71) during a week 16 regular season game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday December 22nd, 2019 in Landover, Maryland
New York Giants guard Will Hernandez (71) takes part in a week 4 regular season game against the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday September 29th, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Will Hernandez (71)
New York Giants guard Will Hernandez (71) takes part in a week 15 regular season game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday December 15, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Will Hernandez (71) takes part in a week 2 regular season game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on Sunday September 15th, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux (66) during a week 14 regular season football game against the Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium on December 13th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux (66) during a week 15 regular season football game against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium on December 20th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Shane Lemieux (66)
Shane Lemieux (66), Andrew Thomas (78)
Shane Lemieux (66)
New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux (66) during a week 10 regular season football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 15th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux (66) during a week 10 regular season football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 15th, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants guard Shane Lemieux (66) during a week 8 regular season Monday Night football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on November 2nd, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Shane Lemieux (66)
Shane Lemieux (66)
New York Giants center Nick Gates (65) snaps the ball to Daniel Jones during a week 3 regular season football game against the San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on September 27h, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65), Daniel Jones (8)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
Nick Gates (65)
New York Giants guard Nick Gates (65) during a week 8 regular season Monday Night football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium on November 2nd, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Nick Gates (65)
New York Jets center Jonotthan Harrison (78) signals at the line of scrimmage during an NFL game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in East Rutherford, NJ. The Jets defeated the Dolphins 22-21. (Al Tielemans via AP)
New York Jets center Jonotthan Harrison (78) prepares for the snap during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Dec. 12, 2019, in Baltimore. Baltimore won 42-21. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New York Jets offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison (78) pass blocks in action against the Houston Texans Saturday December 15, 2018 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New York Jets center Jonotthan Harrison (78) blocks during an NFL game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in East Rutherford, NJ. The Jets defeated the Dolphins 22-21. (Al Tielemans via AP)
New York Jets center Jonotthan Harrison (78) gets set at the line of scrimmage prior to the snap during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Patriots defeated the Jets, 33-0. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Jackson Barton (71) gets set prior to the snap during an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Indianapolis. The Browns defeated the Colts, 21-18. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Jackson Barton (71) goes to block during an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Indianapolis. The Browns defeated the Colts, 21-18. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Jackson Barton (71) blocks during an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019 in Indianapolis. The Browns defeated the Colts 21-18. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Rhode Island offensive lineman Kyle Murphy runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Rhode Island offensive lineman Kyle Murphy runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Rhode Island offensive lineman Kyle Murphy runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Chad Slade (62)
New York Giants guard Chad Slade (62) during a training camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Monday August 31, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants participate in Training Camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ
Detroit Lions offensive guard Kenny Wiggins (79) in action against the New York Giants during an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019. (AP Images/Rick Osentoski)
Detroit Lions offensive guard Kenny Wiggins (79) blocks during an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. Oakland won 31-24. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Detroit Lions offensive guard Kenny Wiggins (79) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Nate Solder signs new contract, will return to Giants
The Giants announced today that Solder has signed a new contract and will rejoin the team's offensive line.
Solder, 32, opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a testicular cancer survivor and his five-year-old son, Hudson, has been undergoing treatment for kidney cancer since he was an infant. In addition, Solder and his wife, Lexi, last spring welcomed a baby boy, Emerson.
After joining the Giants as a free agent on March 16, 2018, Solder started 32 consecutive games at left tackle. He missed only 57 of 2,037 offensive snaps, all of them in his second season. The 2019 season was the third in a row and the sixth in his career in which he played in every game and the fifth time he started each game.
In his absence last season, Andrew Thomas, the Giants' first-round draft choice in 2020, played left tackle, where he appeared in every game with 15 starts. Cam Fleming, who started all 16 games at right tackle, is a free agent. Promising second-year pro Matt Peart, a third-round selection last year, is a candidate to play that position. Solder last played on the right side as a rookie with New England in 2011, when he started 13 games there, including two in the postseason.
Solder played his first seven NFL seasons with the Patriots, for whom he played in four Super Bowls, winning two. Solder has started 127 of the 130 regular-season games and all 16 postseason games in which he's played.
Solder is a two-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, in 2017 with New England and 2019 with the Giants.
Pro Day Tracker: Georgia highlights Wednesday's pro days
The 2021 pro day circuit continued on Wednesday as five schools held their workouts in front of NFL evaluators.
The five schools that participated in Wednesday's activities were Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Pittsburgh and San Jose State. Of the five, only Georgia with EDGE Azeez Ojulari sport a prospect in Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 draft prospects list.
Below are some highlights and notes from Wednesday's pro days.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft for the final time before the start of the draft.
No. 50 Georgia CB Eric Stokes
No. 49 Oregon S Jevon Holland
No. 48 LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
No. 47 Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg
No. 46 Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
No. 45 Wisconsin-Whitewater IOL Quinn Meinerz
No. 44 Oklahoma EDGE Ronnie Perkins
No. 43 Alabama DT Christian Barmore
No. 42 Houston EDGE Payton Turner
No. 41 Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
No. 40 Alabama IOL Landon Dickerson
No. 39 Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.
No. 38 Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw
No. 37 North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz
No. 36 Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins
No. 35 Michigan OT Jalen Mayfield
No. 34 Missouri LB Nick Bolton
No. 33 Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
No. 32 Alabama QB Mac Jones
No. 31 Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh
No. 30 Georgia EDGE Azeez Ojulari
No. 29 Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike
No. 28 Florida WR Kadarius Toney
No. 27 Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II
No. 26 Mississippi WR Elijah Moore
No. 25 North Carolina RB Javonte Williams
No. 24 Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
No. 23 Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
No. 22 Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
No. 21 Miami EDGE Jaelan Phillips
No. 20 Alabama RB Najee Harris
No. 19 Clemson RB Travis Etienne
No. 18 Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau
No. 17 Michigan EDGE Kwity Paye
No. 16 TCU S Trevon Moehrig
No. 15 Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
No. 14 South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
No. 13 USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
No. 12 Penn State LB Micah Parsons
No. 11 Oregon OT Penei Sewell
No. 10 Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater
No. 9 Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
No. 8 Ohio State QB Justin Fields
No. 7 North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
No. 6 Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
No. 5 Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
No. 4 BYU QB Zach Wilson
No. 3 LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase
No. 2 Florida TE Kyle Pitts
No. 1 Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
