Nate Solder and our LT conundrum

[Biffins]

Great, any smart team would reward a player for over performing to make them happy or to give them an incentive them to play more or produce more. That is being smart, "not too nice"

That is not what the idiot meant by too nice. This team just dosent do things because its nice. They do what is best for the team.

I take "being nice" as doing anything beyond what you are contracted/obligated to do. The rest you are required to do as per the terms of the contract.

The above are all valid examples.

 

[Bruins29]

What do you mean nope? Which part do you disagree with? The fact they added incentives upside to Gronk's contract for 2017 or the fact they were not obligated to and did it just to keep him happy?

As stated, being smart to reward and give a player an incentive is a far cry from being "too nice" as other posted suggested.

If you cant understand the difference then we cant discuss this.

 

[Bruins29]

I take "being nice" as doing anything beyond what you are contracted/obligated to do. The rest you are required to do as per the terms of the contract.

The above are all valid examples.

Its not about being nice or fair or any of that. You completely missed the context of his post. Not surprised.

 

[supafly]

I never thought I'd be saying this, but I think it's Cannon and it's not even close.

You think Marcus Cannon is our best offensive lineman, period? Is this including Nate Solder?

 

[supafly]

This team needs an OT3 for 2017. It will probably need a LT1 for 2018. I expect BB is working on the former, and at least planning for the latter.

I wouldn't be surprised to see another tackle taken with a high round pick in April, as well.

Some may feel that we're set at the position, but I'm not one of those people. Understanding that you can't field a team of all stars at every position, we're only one play away from having Cannon and Fleming as our starting tackles, and that's troublesome.

 

[supafly]

We can't afford to have Garcia bust or that will effect our o line in the long term. Let's see how he plays when he recovers from his injury

Right now, he seems to be both undersized and injured, so we've got to hope some of that is overstated. I suppose it may have been unfair to have expected some rotational reps from him this year, but that's what I had envisioned, something similar to Solder.

Sometimes, I forget the fact that he was a 3rd round pick due to the fact that he was taken with their first selection.

 

[ashley]

You think Marcus Cannon is our best offensive lineman, period? Is this including Nate Solder?

Supa, I was just including the healthy lineman right now...Wasn't including Solder on the list.

 

[Ring 6]

I guess you didn't read the article. The whole article analyses who is available in FA in 2018 for tackles and what are the value of recent contracts at tackle and then extrapolates. Here's the quote:

"Solder will have his pick of the teams next year in free agency and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he fielded offers in the $13 million range at the top of the league. New England might not be willing to match and might want to keep Solder in a similar $10-11 million contract that he’s been playing under over the past two seasons."

A guess

 

[jmt57]

As an FYI, here are contract numbers for NFL left tackles (in addition to the article cited in the original post).

Note: you can use the drop down menus to change from 2017 to 2018, 2019, full length of contract, etc.

Left Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Left Tackle Active Player Contracts | Spotrac

NFL Salary Rankings and Cap Hits - LT | Spotrac

Since his original rookie contract expired, Nate Solder's cap number has ranked 2nd among left tackles (in 2016, the first year of his extension) and now 5th in 2017.

Right now the 5th cap number for a LT in 2018 would be $13,950,000; 10th would be $11,400,000. For 2019 we are looking at $14,200,000 (5th) and $11,700,000 (10th). That should give us a benchmark of what it would cost to extend Solder - assuming of course that he even wants to continue playing beyond this season.


One important aspect to keep in mind: we already know that the salary cap is going to increase significantly over the next few years based on television contracts that have already been signed. We are looking at base salary caps along the lines of:
2015 -- $143,280,000
2016 -- $155,270,000
2017 -- $167,000,000
2018 -- $178,000,000
2019 -- $190,000,000

That is a significant consideration. What may appear to be an outrageous contract that does not make fiscal sense today, could actually represent the same (or even lower) portion of a team's cap a year or two from now.

 

[tasmlab]

1. Adding incentives upside to Gronk's contract when they were not obligated to.
2. Switching Brady and Ninkovich's contract base to minimum to 4 game suspensions won't hurt them financially.
3. Reworking Seabass' contract so he can make playtime incentives bonus even if he played fewer snaps (this was in 2014 when they had the stupid idea of rotating Tackles every few drives).
4. Adding incentives upside to Chung's contract for outplaying his contract
5. Keeping Jake Bequette employed for no good reason.

There are tons more examples.

Jake Bequette the Defensive End or the Tight End?

 

[captain stone]

Post some examples of the Patriots being "too nice"

1. Adding incentives upside to Gronk's contract when they were not obligated to.
2. Switching Brady and Ninkovich's contract base to minimum to 4 game suspensions won't hurt them financially.
3. Reworking Seabass' contract so he can make playtime incentives bonus even if he played fewer snaps (this was in 2014 when they had the stupid idea of rotating Tackles every few drives).
4. Adding incentives upside to Chung's contract for outplaying his contract
5. Keeping Jake Bequette employed for no good reason.

There are tons more examples.

Another example off the top of my head is the premature extension given to the (late) Prisoner.

 

[Bruins29]

Another example off the top of my head is the premature extension given to the (late) Prisoner.

Its an incredibly bad example but it is an example.
I guess the pats were supposed to use their time machine on that one

 

[mgteich]

I think that the point is that Belichick is unlikely to pay what Solder will be able to get on the open market. Belichick understands the injury risk.

As far as amounts, no one knows what the market will be, but the market is likely higher than this year.

As an FYI, here are contract numbers for NFL left tackles (in addition to the article cited in the original post).

Note: you can use the drop down menus to change from 2017 to 2018, 2019, full length of contract, etc.

Left Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Left Tackle Active Player Contracts | Spotrac

NFL Salary Rankings and Cap Hits - LT | Spotrac

Since his original rookie contract expired, Nate Solder's cap number has ranked 2nd among left tackles (in 2016, the first year of his extension) and now 5th in 2017.

Right now the 5th cap number for a LT in 2018 would be $13,950,000; 10th would be $11,400,000. For 2019 we are looking at $14,200,000 (5th) and $11,700,000 (10th). That should give us a benchmark of what it would cost to extend Solder - assuming of course that he even wants to continue playing beyond this season.


One important aspect to keep in mind: we already know that the salary cap is going to increase significantly over the next few years based on television contracts that have already been signed. We are looking at base salary caps along the lines of:
2015 -- $143,280,000
2016 -- $155,270,000
2017 -- $167,000,000
2018 -- $178,000,000
2019 -- $190,000,000

That is a significant consideration. What may appear to be an outrageous contract that does not make fiscal sense today, could actually represent the same (or even lower) portion of a team's cap a year or two from now.

 

[captain stone]

Solder is a mediocre/below-average starting-calibre LT, and should be paid accordingly. Anything more than the $11.4M/year figure in 2018 for the 10th
highest-paid LT is a waste of money, because Solder isn't even the 10th-best LT
in the league.

 

[BTTA]

Solder is a mediocre/below-average starting-calibre LT, and should be paid accordingly. Anything more than the $11.4M/year figure in 2018 for the 10th
highest-paid LT is a waste of money, because Solder isn't even the 10th-best LT
in the league.

Yes, in isolation of the list of other tackles that would be available. If there isn't anyone signable that is equal or better, its probably worth overpaying to protect Brady's blind side. But not for more than a year, until a young cheap one can be acquired and developed.

I hope they can wrangle talent at the position so they don't need Solder next year.

 

[varjao]

When Gronk plays a pre season game and Solder doesn't, hummm I'm scratching my head.

 

[Biffins]

When Gronk plays a pre season game and Solder doesn't, hummm I'm scratching my head.

Well it allowed Fleming to present an imitation of what a revolving door looks like.

 

[varjao]

Reiss is reporting Solder isn't going to play Friday

 

[PatsFan2]

No biggie we know what Solder can do he's no Jonathan Ogden in his prime but he's a competent LT for the N.E. Patriots and Tom Brady.

 

[PatsFan2]

I want to know what's the story on Garcia??