Report: Giants lure OT Solder with four-year, $62M deal
Free agent left tackle Nate Solder agreed to a four-year deal worth $15.5 million per season to join the New York Giants.
NFL Network first reported Solder's decision to leave the New England Patriots and select the Giants over the Houston Texans.
The contract would make Solder the highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL and add a cornerstone to an offensive line ridiculed in recent seasons.
Solder's contract is potentially worth $62 million.
SEE ALSO: Dolphins land WRs Amendola, Wilson to replace Landry
The Cleveland Browns and Patriots were "passively involved" in pursuit of Solder, ESPN reported.
The Giants were bidding on offensive guard Andrew Norwell, who is joining former Giants coach Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville, until the Jaguars made Norwell the highest-paid tackle in football on Tuesday.
QB Kirk Cousins
Former team: Washington Redskins
2018 team: Minnesota Vikings
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WR Willie Snead
Former team: New Orleans Saints
2018 team: Baltimore Ravens
(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
CB Malcolm Butler
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: Tennessee Titans
CB Richard Sherman
Former team: Seattle Seahawks
2018 team: San Francisco 49ers
(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
WR Sammy Watkins
Former team: Los Angeles Rams
2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs
(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TE Jimmy Graham
Former team: Seattle Seahawks
2018 team: Green Bay Packers
QB Case Keenum
Former team: Minnesota Vikings
2018 team: Denver Broncos
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
DE Michael Bennett
Former team: Seattle Seahawks
2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles
(Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
QB Tyrod Taylor
Former team: Buffalo Bills
2018 team: Cleveland Browns
(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
QB Sam Bradford
Former team: Minnesota Vikings
2018 team: Arizona Cardinals
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
WR Danny Amendola
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: Miami Dolphins
(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
WR Jarvis Landry
Former team: Miami Dolphins
2018 team: Cleveland Browns
(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WR Torrey Smith
Former team: Philadelphia Eagles
2018 team: Carolina Panthers
(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WR Paul Richardson
Former team: Seattle Seahawks
2018 team: Washington Redskins
(Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
FS Kurt Coleman
Former team: Carolina Panthers
2018 team: New Orleans Saints
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DT Haloti Ngata
Former team: Detroit Lions
2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles
(Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LB Anthony Hitchens
Former team: Dallas Cowboys
2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
DT Star Lotulelei
Former team: Carolina Panthers
2018 team: Buffalo Bills
(Photos by Frank Mattia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RB Jonathan Stewart
Former team: Carolina Panthers
2018 team: New York Giants
RB Isaiah Crowell
Former team: Cleveland Browns
2018 team: New York Jets
QB Teddy Bridgewater
Former team: Minnesota Vikings
2018 team: New York Jets
DT Muhammad Wilkerson
Former team: New York Jets
2018 team: Green Bay Packers
RB Dion Lewis
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: Tennessee Titans
G Andrew Norwell
Former team: Carolina Panthers
2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars
RB Carlos Hyde
Former team: San Francisco 49ers
2018 team: Cleveland Browns
CB Trumaine Johnson
Former team: Los Angeles Rams
2018 team: New York Jets
CB Bashaud Breeland
Former team: Washington Redskins
2018 team: Carolina Panthers
OT Nate Solder
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: New York Giants
QB Trevor Siemian
Former team: Denver Broncos
2018 team: Minnesota Vikings
WR Jordy Nelson
Former team: Green Bay Packers
2018 team: Oakland Raiders
RB Doug Martin
Former team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 team: Oakland Raiders
CB Jason McCourty
Former team: Cleveland Browns
2018 team: New England Patriots
DT Dontari Poe
Former team: Atlanta Falcons
2018 team: Carolina Panthers
G Josh Sitton
Former team: Chicago Bears
2018 team: Miami Dolphins
C Ryan Jensen
Former team: Baltimore Ravens
2018 team: Miami Dolphins
CB Tyrann Mathieu
Former team: Arizona Cardinals
2018 team: Houston Texans
WR/KR/PR Cordarrelle Patterson
Former team: Oakland Raiders
2018 team: New England Patriots
G Justin Pugh
Former team: New York Giants
2018 team: Arizona Cardinals
C Mike Pouncey
Former team: Miami Dolphins
2018 team: Los Angeles Chargers
CB Orlando Scandrick
Former team: Dallas Cowboys
2018 team: Washington Redskins
DE Vinny Curry
Former team: Philadelphia Eagles
2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Michael Crabtree
Former team: Oakland Raiders
2018 team: Baltimore Ravens
DT Sheldon Richardson
Former team: Seattle Seahawks
2018 team: Minnesota Vikings
CB/S Morgan Burnett
Former team: Green Bay Packers
2018 team: Pittsburgh Steelers
WR Danny Amendola
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: Miami Dolphins
DT Ndamukong Suh
Former team: Miami Dolphins
2018 team: Los Angeles Rams
(Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WR Brandin Cooks
Former team: New England Patriots
2018 team: Los Angeles Rams
WR Jordan Matthews
Former team: Buffalo Bills
2018 team: New England Patriots
RB C.J. Anderson
Former team: Denver Broncos
2018 team: Carolina Panthers
(Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)
See Gallery
In Solder, the Giants have a mainstay at left tackle. The 29-year-old, drafted in the first round (17th overall), has started 95 games since entering the league in 2011. Giants general manager Dave Gettleman was in the New York personnel department in 2011 when the Patriots selected Solder before the Giants had a chance to do the same.
Two picks later, the Giants selected cornerback Prince Amukamura who had a slightly higher grade in the team's front office than Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo.
--Field Level Media
More from Aol.com:
Ted Cruz reveals his March Madness bracket, doesn't pick a team from Texas
March Madness projections give just 20 teams a legitimate shot at the title
The best underdogs to pick for your March Madness bracket