Three Giants opt out: What impact will that have on 2020 Giants?

Sixty-seven NFL players have chosen to opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. That, basically, is a full roster plus a practice squad. Three of those players — left tackle Nate Solder, cornerback Sam Beal and wide receiver Da’Mari Scott — were New York Giants.

We have talked about this piecemeal in other places, but let’s take an overall look at the impact of the opt outs on the 2020 Giants.

Nate Solder

Despite a rocky 2019 season, the veteran was expected to continue to man the left tackle spot for the Giants. That would have allowed rookie first-round pick Andrew Thomas to begin his career at right tackle playing next to the Giants’ best offensive lineman, Kevin Zeitler.

Now? The Giants have not committed to this, and you can bet coach Joe Judge won’t commit to it until it becomes a reality he can’t deny, the expectation is that Thomas, a left tackle the past two seasons at Georgia, will slide over to that spot.

At right tackle? That could be Nick Gates. Unless Gates is at center. Then it could be veteran swing tackle Cameron Fleming. It probably won’t be third-round pick Matt Peart.

Solder’s opt-out opens a roster spot for an offensive lineman. Could that be veteran Chad Slade, who was on the roster last year but inactive for every game? Could it be undrafted Kyle Murphy?

The Giants will get roughly $16 million in cap relief from Solder’s opt-out, his $9.9 million base salary and $6.5 million in prorated signing bonus.

Sam Beal

With DeAndre Baker on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, Beal was thought to be a candidate to start opposite James Bradberry. Now? Well, who knows?

Second-year man Corey Ballentine could get that opportunity. Rookie Darnay Holmes might get a look. Julian Love? Dravon Askew-Henry? Maybe even undrafted free agent Christian Angulo? A free agent like Logan Ryan? Someone currently on another NFL team?

Aside from Bradberry, the Giants are unproven at corner. Of course, that was also the case even with Beal — who has played six games in two years — on the roster.

Da’Mari Scott

Scott was thought to be in the mix as a possible backup wide receiver and kickoff/punt returner.

At receiver, his opt-out increases the likelihood that one of the Giants’ trio of undrafted free agent receivers — Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, Derrick Dillon — could make the roster.

In the return game, this probably makes Corey Coleman the clear favorite to handle those duties. Perhaps it also gives increased opportunity to running back Javon Leake. Ballentine might also be an option. We really won’t know who is in the return mix until we actually see practice and determine who is working with those groups.