Dolphins missing two starting tackles against Texans
Patrick Paul will start his second NFL game in the city he played his entire collegiate career.
The University of Houston standout the Miami Dolphins drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft will replace Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, which is critical when it comes to Miami staying in the playoff hunt for the final AFC wild card spot.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Armstead isn’t the only starting offensive lineman nursing a serious injury. Kendall Lamm, who replaced Austin Jackson as Miami’s starting left tackle when Jackson sustained a season-ending knee injury six weeks ago, is plagued by a back injury.
Lamm was only able to practice once Friday, but seemingly didn’t impress Miami’s coaches, which led to him being inactive.
Jackson Carman will likely serve as his replacement, becoming the third starting right tackle this season. The Dolphins also called Ryan Hayes up from the practice squad and made him active for the game.
Hayes is a 2023 Dolphins seventh round pick who has bounced around the NFL the past two seasons. It’s possible that Miami will call on Isaiah Wynn to potentially serve as a backup tackle since that’s the position he began his NFL career at.
Armstead has battled knee pain since training camp, and hasn’t practiced in more than a week. But he has been healthy enough to play on Sundays until last week when he pulled himself after a few snaps in Miami’s first two offensive series.
Paul, who is 6-foot-7, 332 pounds, replaced Armstead and showed drastic improvement from his first start, which came in Miami’s 31-12 loss to the Tennessee Titans when Armstead was sidelined by a concussion he sustained the week before.
“I think the big thing for him is you take the difference from college to the NFL, and then the level of talent you’re facing week in and week out and then you realize what it’s going to take to get there with your fundamentals and making sure that everything’s on point all the time,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said of Paul. “I think he really invested more each week as he learned things that were necessary, his sense of urgency improved and that’s where he’s at right now.”
This could be the greatest challenge the Dolphins offensive line faces all season because the Texans have produced 42 sacks this season, making them the second most productive team pressuring quarterbacks this season.
It’s likely that Miami’s tackle issue will force the Dolphins to alter the game plan, even though quarterback Tua Tagovailoa typically gets the ball out his hands quickly.
A loss to the Texans would drastically reduce Miami’s ability to leapfrog the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts for that final AFC playoff spot.
Also inactive is tailback Jeff Wilson Jr., tight end Jack Stoll, receiver Dee Eskridge, cornerback Ethan Bonner and defensive tackle Neil Farrell.
This story was originally published December 15, 2024 at 11:47 AM.
