Denver Broncos showing strong interest in Nate Solder
The Denver Broncos are not just going to sit around in free agency. They are among the teams showing the most interest in OT Nate Solder…
The Denver Broncos were expected to be active participants in the NFL free agency frenzy, so it comes as no surprise that they are among the teams showing the most interest in one of the top tackles on the free agent market in Patriots tackle Nate Solder.
Solder is a Denver native who will turn 30 in April, so perhaps the Broncos would be looking at Solder as a player that could come in and play the next four years at left tackle with Garett Bolles potentially moving over to the right side.
That doesn’t necessarily seem to be the ideal move, but I suppose if you could get the top tackle on the free agent market, you’d have to keep that option on the table.
Interest in Nate Solder has - unsurprisingly - been off the charts. Texans and Broncos would appear at the head of the class (in addition to the Pats).
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 12, 2018
This could give us a little clue that the Broncos are not overly confident in their aspirations of signing Kirk Cousins in free agency. They are expected to make offers to both Cousins and fellow free agent quarterback Case Keenum, but signing Solder could cost the Broncos roughly $10-12 million per season.
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That would mean that this year’s savings on Aqib Talib would go to the offensive side of the ball and to the tackle position, not necessarily the quarterback position.
The Broncos need another starting tackle, there’s no doubt about it. They failed badly trying to sign Donald Stephenson and Menelik Watson and make them something they weren’t.
Getting a ‘sure thing’ in Solder seems like a smart move, but moving Bolles over to the right side is a little concerning. On paper, it should work, but those two positions are vastly different, and Bolles went through plenty of growing pains his rookie season.
Bringing Solder back to Colorado makes some sense from his perspective. With the report indicating that his market is ‘off the charts’, he could ultimately price himself well out of Denver’s range.