Patriots pick up Nate Solder's $7.4 million option for 2015

Solder will be a Patriot for the next two years
According to multiple reports, the Patriots have exercised the fifth year option on left tackle Nate Solder's rookie contract. Solder will stay under contract for one more year at a cost of $7.4 million.

Every first round pick of the 2011 draft had a CBA mandated fifth-year team option tacked onto their four-year rookie deals. Players drafted in the top 10 were entitled to an offer equal to the transition tag for their position (equivalent cap percentage of the top 10 prior year salaries at his position), while players drafted from 11 to 32 (Solder was the 17th pick) get the average of the top 25 players at their position, minus the top three.

Offensive linemen aren't categorized by position in the CBA language, but rather all grouped together. As a result, Solder's total comes to approximately $7.4 million in 2015. However, that 2015 salary is guaranteed for injury only, and doesn't become fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2015 league year.

Essentially, this buys the Patriots one extra year of Solder's good play protecting Tom Brady's blindside, while also giving them more time to negotiate a long-term deal to keep him for the rest of his prime. That extra year also gives them more time to see if Solder can avoid his early career concussion issues (four diagnosed concussions in three years), which make him a bit of gamble as a long-term investment.

Solder joins a long list of notable players to get the fifth year option picked up on their deals this year, a list that includes AJ Green, Patrick Peterson, Tyron Smith, JJ Watt, Muhammad Wilkerson and Cameron Jordan.