Tackle Nate Solder
7-26-18
Q: Have you had time to adjust in New York? Is it still a little different for you starting in training camp with a different organization?
A: Of course it’s been different. It was nice to have some time in the offseason, beginning the adjustment process. I’ll continue that and everything else is behind me and looking forward to what’s ahead of us, it’s exciting.
Q: Are you excited to get pads on for the first time as a Giant over the weekend?
A: Yeah absolutely. Once you get the pads on, that’s when a lineman becomes a lineman, we could do what we do best.
Q: This first time we’ve seen you since that last day of minicamp, is your knee okay?
A: Yeah, doing great. Doing everything they ask me to do.
Q: No lingering things from that one day?
A: Everything they ask me to do I’m ready to go full speed.
Q: If you’re a lineman, does it make a difference if it’s Tom Brady or Eli Manning back there or is it your concentration of just what’s in front of you?
A: I have to focus on my job and my job is to block the defensive end or whoever’s coming in front of me. I don’t put a whole lot of thought into whoever’s behind me.
Q: Can you talk about Saquon [Barkley] and the element he could add to an offense and being able to work upfront.
A: We have a lot of talented guys on this team, but that’s not what’s going to matter. What’s going to matter is how we work together. Its going to matter how we execute and perform when it really counts on game day.
Q: A lot of people are talking about your presence is being treated as fixing this offensive line, which has been the team’s weakness in recent years. How do you approach that kind of stuff? Seems like a lot of pressure.
A: I don’t think there’s any one player that makes that much of an impact. It’s all about the team so whatever’s best for the team we all work together. It’s all about locking arms and fighting for each other, caring for each other, and working the best you can together.
Q: Every time we talk to an offensive lineman, he talks about chemistry and building it together and the unit come together. Three guys are new to the team; Ereck Flowers is in a different position. Can you guys do that right away? Is a quick chemistry even possible or does it take half a season?
A: I don’t know the answer to that. I know that is a goal of ours and we’re going to work at that every single day and see the game through the same set of eyes.
Q: Have you lined up much of your career against Connor Barwin?
A: Yeah I have.
Q: Now that you’re lined up against him everyday, what’s your sense of him as a player?
A: Every time I’ve lined up against him I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, he’s a good player. The more good players you could have on a team, good people like that, the better off you are I think.
Q: Is he a tough pass-rusher?
A: Yes.
Q: What made him tough? What was his strength?
A: I don’t want to get into specifics on that. I don’t know exactly all the details.
Q: With your experience being in a winning culture, what do you think with your experience there, what can you do to help this offensive line come together?
A: I think my role here is to listen to the coaches, do the best I can with the work they’ve given me and work together with my teammates. You see a lot of big games where experience doesn’t matter at all and it’s how you execute and how you play together. I’m not going to put too much weight on that, I’m just going to work with these guys, try to improve my game the best that I can, and then worry about that.
Q: Let’s talk about Saquon [Barkley]. What has impressed you about him so far?
A: We haven’t gone through one practice yet so I can’t speak exactly what impresses me about him.
Q: Were you at OTAs?
A: Yes.
Q: A lot of people have been talking about his preparedness, his want to be great, his desire. What have you seen?
A: I’m really glad to have him on our team. I don’t really know him well enough to make any statements like that. Like I said, he’s been a really friendly guy to me.
Q: What was it like to have Dave [Gettleman] address the team yesterday and somebody’s whose life has been touched by cancer, what did that mean to see Dave Gettleman?
A: It certainly puts everything into perspective and how fortunate we all are to get up and breathe everyday. It’s a very special thing we get the opportunity to play football. We get to cherish our loved ones and get to hug them every single day. I couldn’t be more thankful and more blessed for everything I’ve been doing.
Q: How’s your son doing?
A: Excellent, thank you.
Q: Were you surprised to see Dave [Gettleman] get up and address the team like that?
A: It was awesome to see him.
Q: How’s the atmosphere in the building compared to New England?
A: I don’t know. I think the emphasis is football, getting better at playing football. I think, no matter where you are, that’s the goal. You have to play good ball and that’s why we’re all here.
Q: So you’re more relaxed here opposed to New England?
A: I wouldn’t use that word, no.
Q: Compare Head Coach [Pat] Shurmur and [Patriots Head Coach Bill] Belichick; are they similar the way they run things?
A: I don’t know, that’s behind me. I’m glad to be here, the guys I’m with. This is an excellent opportunity and I’m so excited about it. Everything else is just water under the bridge.
totally agree