According to Zack Rosenblatt, the New York Giants will have less cap space this offseason than originally expected. Due to the Proven Performance Escalator, four players currently on the roster will make more money based on a number of factors, such as playing time, what round they were drafted in, and Pro Bowl appearances. The Giants are going to be almost $3 million over the cap but could create some much-needed money for free agency and draft picks. Here are four salary cap casualties for the Giants.
Four New York Giants Salary Cap Casualties
Golden Tate
Savings if cut: $6,147,058
Reason: Golden Tate is no longer an aging receiver, he *is* already aged. Tate signed a four-year, $37.5 million contract with the Giants back in the 2019 offseason. He has appeared in just 23 games in two seasons with New York and has not lived up to any expectations.
While he had six touchdown receptions in 2019, Tate has clearly regressed and is not the same player he was 5-6 years ago. The signing was heavily questioned from the beginning and deservedly so. Tate will turn 33 come August, and honestly, the last thing this team needs is an old slot receiver who makes one flashy pass per game then disappears for the rest. The Giants are in dire need of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, and Tate is not that.
Nate Solder
Savings if cut: $6,000,000
Reason: At the time, Nate Solder signed the biggest offensive lineman contract in NFL history. Since then, Solder’s stay in New York has been nothing but disappointing. With the emergence of Andrew Thomas, this likely spells out the end of his Giants career. The only downside with cutting Solder is eating $10.5 million in dead cap. However, the bad outweighs the good in this situation, and it would be best if both sides part ways. Like Tate, Solder is another older player that the Giants just do not need on the roster. His play has been subpar and did not help the rebuild of this offensive line one bit.
The one good thing he did do was help mentor Andrew Thomas. The two have never met in person due to COVID-19, but Thomas has repeatedly said how helpful the veteran tackle has been throughout his rookie season. Solder opted out of the 2020 season and has likely played his last down as a Giant already.
Kevin Zeitler
Savings if cut: $12,000,000
Reason: Zeitler is not a bad player by any means. He is arguably the most consistent player on this offensive line. However, his name was brought up numerous times around the trade deadline. This shows that the Giants are not afraid to get rid of Zeitler and replace him with a younger option, maybe they try to move Will Hernandez or Shane Lemieux over to right guard to fill that spot. Or, potentially draft his replacement on day two of the draft. $12 million is a lot of money that the Giants could definitely use to help better the team. Zeitler will turn 31 soon, and while he is still a good player, he could likely be out the door as well this offseason.
Evan Engram
Savings if cut: $6,013,000
Reason: This one needs no explanation. Evan Engram is the definition of a liability. His eleven drops this season led to *six* interceptions. His blocking is nothing to be excited about either. It has been four years with Engram now, and it could very well be the end of this experiment.
Another reason why Engram could be gone, is that the team would not have to eat any dead cap. Giants brass has said they need offensive playmakers, and that does not just mean wide receivers. Tight end Kyle Pitts from Florida would be the perfect replacement. Pitts is a big tight end, one who has also cross trained as a wide receiver. He has a huge catch radius, can block well, and has not dropped a pass in his collegiate career. Pitts would be an amazing piece to add to this offense, one that could potentially lift quarterback Daniel Jones rather than put him down, like Engram.
Honorable Mentions
These next few have smaller savings compared to the names above, but combined can also provide a good amount of cap space.
Levine Toilolo: $2,950,000
Spencer Pulley: $2,750,000
David Mayo: $2,300,000
Cody Core: $2,000,000
Total Savings: $10,000,000
Looking Ahead at the Giants Salary Cap Casualties
The Giants will have some important decisions to make very soon. Leonard Williams certainly proved that he deserves a big contract. Dalvin Tomlinson, a rare homegrown talent, will hit free agency for the first time. The free agent class of wide receivers is intriguing, with Allen Robinson and Kenny Golladay at the top, and who will definitely not come cheap.
The names above are all players that the Giants could likely move on from soon. Some more realistic than others, but if the Giants want money to work with during free agency and the draft, they should definitely consider cutting ties with most of these players.
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