Dolphins signing Terron Armstead, ending team’s search for premier offensive tackle
The Dolphins are signing former New Orleans Saints left tackle Terron Armstead, a league source confirmed to the Miami Herald Tuesday, ending a week-long search for a standout tackle to shore up one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines last season.
The contract is a five-year deal worth $70 million and can reach $87.5 million with incentives, according to a source. It also includes $43.37 million guaranteed. The average annual salary, even with incentives, makes Armstead the fifth-highest paid left tackle in the league but the guaranteed money ranks second among his position.
Armstead, a three-time Pro Bowler, was regarded as the top lineman available in this year’s free-agency cycle but went the first week without joining a team, which held up much of the offensive tackle market.
The Dolphins brought Armstead to South Florida for a visit Monday, one day after right tackle La’el Collins, who was also linked to the team, agreed to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. Right tackle Trent Brown re-signing with the New England Patriots Monday only underscored the Dolphins’ need to close the deal with Armstead. General manager Chris Grier was reportedly seen at Texas A&M’s Pro Day on Tuesday, while Armstead was seen in another part of Texas training with Brown, only adding more uncertainty from the outside regarding the negotiations. The Dolphins had their guy the whole time, though.
Armstead, who turns 31 in July, not only becomes the anchor of an offensive line set to use a zone-heavy run scheme under coach Mike McDaniel but the elder statesman of a young group that failed to develop to expectations in 2021. While the Dolphins’ offensive line ranked ninth in ESPN’s run block win rate, defined as how often a lineman can sustain his block for at least 2.5 seconds, the unit ranked 32nd in pass block win rate. According to Pro Football Focus, the offensive line gave up a league-high 235 pressures this past season.
Armstead, a third-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, was named to three straight Pro Bowls from 2018 to 2020 and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2018. In a 2021 season reduced to just eight games because of coronavirus protocols and a knee injury, he was rated by PFF as the No. 26 tackle in the league, receiving his lowest grade since his rookie season. However, Armstead, 6-5 and 304 pounds, is still regarded as one of the league’s best tackles, an athletic player who can move defenders in the run game and stonewall pass-rushers.
He was also voted the Saints’ recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, given to a player who exemplifies the principles of sportsmanship and courage. 2021 was a trying year for Armstead, who not only had to battle injuries but off-the-field trauma, including grappling with the deaths of his brother and cousin.
“I definitely don’t think anyone is more deserving than Terron for that award this year,” said linebacker Demario Davis. “The things that he’s had to go through this season, [the things he’s] had to endure, and to still be able to focus and lock in and perform at a high level for this team speaks volumes to who he is as a person, the steadiness of his character and dependability that you can have in him.
“He’s playing some of his best football. So whatever he’s had to do to channel it all mentally, he’s done it well.”
Injuries have been an issue for Armstead, though. He’s missed 37 games since he became a full-time starter in 2014 and hasn’t played an entire season in his nine-year career.
Still, Armstead gives the Dolphins at least two new starters on the offensive line for the 2022 season. The team signed former Dallas Cowboys lineman Connor Williams to a two-year, $14 million contract and he projects as the starting left guard.
That seemingly settles the left side of the offensive line with questions remaining at center, right guard and right tackle. Michael Deiter started eight games at center in 2021, while Robert Hunt started every game at right guard and Jesse Davis started 16 games, the majority of them at right tackle.
The Dolphins could opt to move Hunt back to right tackle, where he started 11 games as a rookie in 2020, or move Liam Eichenberg, who started two games at right tackle in 2021, to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside. Austin Jackson, who started at left tackle and left guard, is likely to find himself competing for a starting position on the right side of the offensive line. The draft, where the Dolphins are picking No. 29 in the first round, also remains a possibility to add competition.
Regardless, the Dolphins appear to have significantly upgraded a porous offensive line with the signing of Armstead.
The signing was first reported by ESPN.
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 7:43 PM.
