KFAN’s Paul Allen: Vikings Could Target LT Nate Solder if Team Doesn’t Land Cousins
Sean Borman
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The Minnesota Vikings have money at their disposal this offseason. If the team does not pursue quarterback Kirk Cousins, what will the front office do with the extra dough?
Former Vikings center Matt Birk and the voice of the Minnesota Vikings, Paul Allen, suggested on KFAN radio Wednesday that the Vikings could consider signing left tackle Nate Solder in free agency. It certainly seemed like the two had differing opinions on bringing in the veteran.
“Nate Solder is a great, great left tackle when he’s protecting Tom Brady,” Birk stated. “When he’s protecting somebody else, it’s a different story.”
“But see, if you don’t move on Cousins, and you have money to fortify the rest of the team, pushing chips in on Solder and playing him at left tackle, putting Reiff at right tackle, and you got Elflein in the middle coming back from the bad ankle. That’s pretty nice no matter who the quarterback is,” Allen countered.
When Birk asked about what would happen to the current right tackle, Mike Remmers, Allen had an answer.
“I think Remmers is going to be a guard,” P.A. said. “I think the Remmers tell took place in the postseason when he was healthy and they paid him to be a right tackle, but Rashod Hill was the right tackle.”
The speculation is sure to continue until free agency begins March 14th.
Solder has been a New England Patriot since 2011. He’s started at left tackle every year minus his rookie season. The 29 year-old stands at 6-foot-8 and 315 pounds.
Spotrac projected Solder’s “market value” to hover around $13.2 million/season. For comparison, Riley Reiff, who signed a 5-year deal with the Vikings in free agency last offseason, averages $11.75 million/season.
If the Vikings land Solder in free agency, the 2018 starting front five could potentially consist of:
LT – Nate Solder – LG – Mike Remmers – C – Pat Elflein – RG – Nick Easton – RT – Riley Reiff
Depth players competing for a roster spot:
- T – Rashod Hill
- T/G – Jeremiah Sirles
- G – Danny Isidora
- T – Aviante Collins
- G/C – Josh Andrews
- T – Dieugot Joseph
- C – Cornelius Edison
- T – Cedrick Lang
- T – Storm Norton