New England Patriots: 3 Players that should be re-signed in 2018 NFL Free Agency
1. Nate Solder
Aside from quarterback, left tackle might be the single most important position on the offensive side of the ball. Every team needs a guy who can protect the blindside of their quarterback and that job primarily comes down to the left tackle. Brady has fantastic pocket awareness, but he needs help up front as well.
Nate Solder will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He has been the Patriots’ starting left tackle for the last six seasons, and while he not an elite player at the position, Solder is extremely an extremely reliable player.
Left tackle is obviously an extremely difficult position to fill. Because of the importance of the position, everybody is always looking for an upgrade. That will increase Solder’s value this offseason and he will clearly have a lot of suitors on the open market. Ideally, the Pats would be able to replace from within the roster, but that simply is not an option.
Marcus Cannon should be back from injury, holding down the fort at right tackle next season. But aside from Cannon, the Patriots do not have another offensive tackle on the roster with NFL experience. Along with Solder, both Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle will hit free agency this offseason.
The Patriots did draft Antonio Garcia in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He is a legitimate left tackle prospect with some nice long-term upside. However, he missed the entire 2017 season with an injury or illness that was never officially disclosed. There is a lot to like about Garcia’s game, but are the Patriots really going to turn to a guy who has never played NFL football to protect a 41-year old Tom Brady’s blindside? I highly doubt it.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: One unexpected pick for each team
Honestly, it is either re-sign Solder or bust for the Patriots. He is far and away the best left tackle option on the open market and they simply do not have a viable replacement on the roster. No matter the price, the New England Patriots must re-sign Nate Solder if they expect to capitalize on their current competitive window.