HEADLINES

Terron Armstead

Latest On Terron Armstead’s Future With Dolphins

April 18th, 2024 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins seem to be preparing as if the 2024 campaign with be Terron Armstead‘s final season. While speaking with reporters today, general manager Chris Grier said he understood that Armstead may play just one more season when the front office reworked the lineman’s contract back in March.

“We always knew that possibility could be with him,” Grier said (via Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post).

After suffering injuries in each of his first two seasons in Miami, there were rumblings that Armstead could look to hang up his cleats following the 2023 campaign. The lineman was still attached to the five-year, $75MM contract he inked with Miami in 2022, and he already locked in $5MM of his 2024 base salary by being on the Dolphins’ roster on Day 3 of the 2023 league year. The veteran ended up helping the Dolphins’ by accepting a $4MM-plus pay cut for the 2024 campaign, but those negotiations seemed to hint that Armstead wouldn’t finish his contract with the team.

Injuries have been an ongoing theme throughout Armstead’s career. The lineman has never played 16 games in a season and has missed 59 contests over the course of his career, including 11 games through two years in Miami. A knee injury forced him to miss seven games in 2023, but he still earned a Pro Bowl nod and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 16th-best offensive tackle. Armstead ranked as a top-20 OT in eight of his nine NFL seasons, so the long-time Saints standout has shown he still has plenty left in the tank.

“We’re very respectful of his time and to his credit, he is an incredible communicator,” Grier said (via Habib). “I’ve gotten to know him over the last couple years — he is a fantastic person. So I’m very glad he is coming back because he has impacted that room so much with those young guys … so having him back is important.”

While the Dolphins can pencil in Armstead at LT for the 2024 season, they can’t be nearly as confident in his roster spot in 2025. As a result, the team may look to address the future hole via the draft. The team used a first-round pick on right tackle Austin Jackson back in 2020, and they’re still rostering fill-in Kendall Lamm, but devoting more draft capital to the position remains a possibility with Armstead likely to hang up his cleats following the 2024 campaign.

Dolphins Restructures: Ramsey, Armstead, Sieler, Ingold, Smythe

March 24th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins were in a dangerous situation working with quite a precarious cap number. In an effort to get within compliance, Miami reworked the deals of several players in order to lessen their respective salary cap impacts.

One of the biggest deals to get done was the restructure of star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team converted $13.89MM of Ramsey’s 2024 base salary (now only $1.21MM) and an $11MM roster bonus into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the two already in existence at the end of his contract.

The work put in by both sides resulted in a cap clearance of $19.91MM.

Here are a few other restructured deals the Dolphins utilized to increase their available cap space:

  • We mentioned after the re-signing of offensive guard Robert Jones that an adjusted contract was on the way for left tackle Terron Armstead. Lo and behold, per Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald, Armstead will accept a $4.25MM pay cut in 2024 while bringing in $10MM of guaranteed salary. His new deal includes a $7.29MM signing bonus, as well. The adjustments cleared another $10.29MM of cap space for the Dolphins.
  • It was Michael Ginnitti at Spotrac.com who informed us of the remaining adjustments. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler contributed by agreeing to convert $7.01MM of his 2024 base salary (now only $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding two void years to the end of his deal, resulting in the clearance of $5.6MM of cap space. Fullback Alec Ingold chipped in by agreeing to convert $2.08MM of his 2024 salary (now also $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding two void years to the end of his contract, as well, resulting in $1.66MM of cap space clearance. Finally, tight end Durham Smythe agreed to convert $2MM of his 2024 base salary (now also $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding three void years to the end of his current deal, resulting in $1.6MM of new cap space. Oyefusi points out that the addition of all those void years speaks to the dire nature of the team’s salary cap position. They ended up finding cap compliance in time for the new league year, but the cap hits of those void years will find them eventually.

Dolphins Re-Sign G Robert Jones

March 10th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins have lots of contracts to address on the offensive line this offseason, and they’ll start with re-signing offensive guard Robert Jones, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The third-year undrafted lineman out of Middle Tennessee State is set to return to Miami on a new one-year deal.

Jones has proven to be a valuable backup for the Dolphins over the past three seasons. Though never designated as a full-time starter on the offensive line, Jones has made 13 starts in 32 game appearances. Most recently, he filled in for an injured Isaiah Wynn this year, which graded out as an improvement, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). With starting guard Robert Hunt expected to earn a massive payday elsewhere, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Jones should return as a strong option to step into a full-time starting role in 2024.

While Miami still needs to deal with the expiring contracts of Hunt and center Connor Williams, they did receive some good news concerning starting left tackle Terron Armstead. Though Armstead was undecided on whether or not to hang up his cleats, a return to the field in 2024 has been trending. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, things continue to move in the right direction for Armstead to play next season. Armstead and Miami are even close to finalizing a new adjusted contract to reduce his cap hit in 2024. It’s not done yet but should reportedly be done soon.

With Jones and Armstead expected back and right tackle Austin Jackson under contract through the 2026 season, the Dolphins are set with three possible starters heading into next year. Decisions on Hunt and Williams should come soon, allowing the team to make plans on how to move forward with or without them.

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead Expected To Play In 2024

February 21st, 2024 at 10:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Terron Armstead has not confirmed he will be back for a 12th NFL season, but early signs are pointing in that direction. As the Dolphins appear set to go through Tua Tagovailoa extension talks, his two-year left tackle is viewed as likely to be part of the 2024 equation.

The Dolphins expect Armstead to play next season, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Armstead said coming out of the 2023 campaign he was unsure about returning, and while injuries have continued to play a regular role for the accomplished blocker, he is tied to a $15MM-per-year deal that features some guarantees already in place moving forward.

As part of the five-year, $75MM contract Armstead inked with Miami in 2022, he locked in $5MM of his 2024 base salary by being on the Dolphins’ roster on Day 3 of the 2023 league year. The rest of that $13.25MM salary will be guaranteed on March 15. That represents a good incentive to come back; Armstead will be going into his age-33 season.

Tyreek Hill has represented the primary catalyst for Miami’s offense taking off under Mike McDaniel, but Armstead has also provided the Tagovailoa-led unit with some upper-crust abilities since joining the team in McDaniel’s first year. The ex-Saints mainstay has been one of the league’s better tackles when available, though injuries have stuck with the veteran since his New Orleans exit. Pro Football Focus has graded Armstead as a top-20 tackle in eight of the past nine seasons. The advanced metrics website placed Armstead 16th in 2023.

Armstead missed seven games last season and four in 2022. He has never played 16 games in a season and has missed 59 contests over the course of his career. Armstead landed on IR due to a knee injury and dealt with multiple knee maladies during his second year in Miami. He later missed time because of quad trouble but was available for the Dolphins’ stretch run — on an O-line ransacked by injuries once again. The Dolphins lost Connor Williams and Isaiah Wynn for the season and saw Robert Hunt miss seven games due to a hamstring injury. Armstead played nine of the Dolphins’ final 10 games last season.

Miami extended right tackle Austin Jackson in December, but the former first-round pick is not tied to a top-tier tackle contract. The Dolphins are on the verge of seeing their equation change with a Tagovailoa extension, with Jaylen Waddle also extension-eligible now. While their tackles are tied to veteran deals, neither is on a top-10 pact at his respective position. Armstead’s $15MM AAV checks in 13th among left tackles; Jackson’s $12MM number is 11th at RT.

The Dolphins have questions at other O-line spots, with each of their three interior starters last year — Wynn, Williams, Hunt — due for free agency next month. But they will attempt to round out those spots with the expectation Armstead will still anchor the unit.

Terron Armstead Undecided On Playing In 2024; Dolphins, G Robert Hunt Discussed Extension

January 15th, 2024 at 4:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terron Armstead is tied to a five-year, $75MM contract, but the Dolphins do not yet have assurances their Pro Bowl left tackle will come back for a third year in Miami. Armstead stopped short of guaranteeing he would return in 2024.

The 11-year veteran said he remains in pursuit of a Super Bowl ring but added (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley) he would not push his body beyond its limits. Armstead has remained an effective tackle when available, but the ex-Saints mainstay has continued to deal with various injuries since changing teams in 2022.

Armstead, 32, missed seven games this season and four games in 2022. He has never played 16 games in a season and has missed 59 contests over the course of his career. Armstead landed on IR due to a knee injury and dealt with multiple knee maladies during his second year in Miami. He later missed time because of quad trouble. Last year, myriad maladies affected Armstead, though he was still effective for a Dolphins team that closed the season with its third-string quarterback (Skylar Thompson) making starts.

While Tua Tagovailoa made it through this season healthy, the Dolphins were forced to use several O-line combinations to account for injuries to all five starters at points. Left guard Isaiah Wynn and center Connor Williams suffered season-ending injuries, and Armstead joined right guard Robert Hunt in missing seven games.

Armstead and right tackle Austin Jackson are locked up through 2026, with the team’s right tackle signing a $12MM-per-year extension late in the season. Armstead is due a $13.25MM base salary in 2024. Neither tackle’s pact puts him in the top 10 at his respective position, giving the Dolphins good value. Due to the $19MM-plus in prorated bonus money on Miami’s books through 2026, Armstead retiring would be costly for the Dolphins. But we appear a ways away from the five-time Pro Bowler making a decision.

Hunt and Williams are both due for free agency in March. Dolphins GM Chris Grier praised Williams, who angled for a new contract this past offseason, but stopped short of indicating the center — who played out a two-year, $14MM deal — was a priority to retain. Williams suffering an early-December ACL tear will damage his free agency value. Hunt does appear higher on Miami’s priority list. Grier said the team discussed an extension with the talented guard during the season.

As of September, no Hunt discussions had taken place. But it appears the Dolphins are interested in having three O-linemen on veteran accords. A nagging hamstring injury caused Hunt, 27, to miss nearly half the season. But the three-year guard starter has been effective when healthy; he would be one of the top O-linemen available in free agency. Grier pointed to Hunt hitting the market but indicated the team still wants him back.

“I’m happy for Rob. He got back at the end of the year for us,” Grier said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). “Rob has earned the right to be a free agent; we had a conversation with him during the season. We’ll see what happens. We would like him to be here.”

Hunt stands to join Jonah Jackson (Lions), Damien Lewis (Seahawks) and Ezra Cleveland (Jaguars) as key first-time free agents at guard, with guard/tackle Michael Onwenu (Patriots) also profiling as an option for teams in need of interior help. It will be interesting to see if the Dolphins’ Jackson contract — agreed to in December — affects the team’s interest in paying Hunt market value.

Notable 2024 Pro Bowl Incentives

January 4th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL released the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters last night. While the annual All-Star event has lost some of its luster (and is eyeing a significant revamping in 2024), a Pro Bowl selection is still a significant accomplishment for many players…especially from a financial standpoint.

There were a number of Pro Bowlers whose selections were tied to contract incentives. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl incentives below:

Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick didn’t have a traditional Pro Bowl incentive, but his selection will still result in more money. Per Corry, Reddick’s 2024 base salary will increase by $500K (from $13.75MM to $14.25MM) thanks to the Pro Bowl selection.

A handful of former first-round picks also boosted the value of their fifth-year options by earning their first Pro Bowl nod (via Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus): Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Ravens offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum, Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell, and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain boosted the value of their fifth-round option to the maximum amount with a second Pro Bowl selection.

Beyond incentives, players also get some cash for just participating in the Pro Bowl event. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes, players on the winning team will earn $88K, while players on the losing team will get $44K. This even applies to Pro Bowl players who can’t participate since they’re playing in the Super Bowl.

Injury Updates: Garrett, Bengals, Etienne, Dolphins

December 2nd, 2023 at 12:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett likely suffered some structural damage in his left shoulder, an injury that was aggravated during last weekend’s loss. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, it’s uncertain if the injury will even require surgery, and Garrett is determined to continue playing this season.

“I feel terrible,” Garrett said following Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. “Everything hurts, shoulder hurts. But we’ve got to keep on going, keep on rolling till the wheels fall off. We’re having great success and enjoying how this team is really coming together, especially down the stretch. And we’re going to continue to keep on working hard to be fresh and fit whenever we get to Sunday.”

Garrett said he felt a pop in his shoulder during the game, but he also admitted that he’s been dealing with a shoulder issue for the entire season. The injury could be attributed to the AC joint sprain Garrett suffered last season, or it could be an entirely new injury, with Cabot speculating that the pass rusher may be dealing with a partial dislocation.

The former first-overall pick is on track to earn another All-Pro nod in 2022. In 11 games, Garrett has collected 13 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bengals got some good news on both sides of the ball ahead of Monday Night Football. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Bengals wideout Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson will play against the Jaguars. Higgins has missed the past three games while dealing with a hamstring injury, while Wilson is recovering from an ankle injury suffered last weekend. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news in Cincinnati. After suffering a sprained ankle at practice this week, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt will not play on Monday night, per Schefter.
  • On the other side, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said he’s expecting running back Travis Etienne to play on Monday night, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. Etienne suffered a rib injury last weekend that briefly forced him to exit the game, and he’s been practicing on a limited basis throughout the week. If he is sidelined on Monday, the Jaguars would lean on D’Ernest Johnson and rookie Tank Bigsby.
  • De’Von Achane is expected to play for the Dolphins this weekend, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. After returning from a knee injury in time for Week 11, the running back was once again sidelined with the issue for Week 12. Meanwhile, Terron Armstead said he intends to play this weekend despite suffering a quadriceps injury on Black Friday. It was initially thought that the offensive tackle could miss multiple weeks, so this is an encouraging update for the Dolphins offense.

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead Could Miss Multiple Games

November 26th, 2023 at 9:24am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins may be without left tackle Terron Armstead for an extended time. Armstead suffered a quadriceps injury during Miami’s Black Friday victory over the Jets, and according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the veteran blocker could miss multiple games as a result.

Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for Armstead, who missed the first two games of the 2023 season after an assortment of injuries sustained in an August practice delayed his ongoing recovery from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery. Armstead returned to the lineup in Week 3 but exited the Dolphins’ Week 4 loss to the Bills due to a new knee injury that he sustained in the second quarter of that contest. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve and was forced to miss Miami’s next four games as a result.

Armstead played a full complement of snaps in Weeks 9 and 11 — the Dolphins had a Week 10 bye — before running into the quadriceps problem in Week 12. Head coach Mike McDaniel, who classified Armstead’s status as “week to week,” has said that the injury is not as serious as the quad ailment that brought a premature end to fellow offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn‘s season.

Now 32, Armstead has never been healthy for an entire season in his 11-year career, though he continues to perform at a high level. In admittedly limited action in 2023, the four-time Pro Bowler has not surrendered a sack or QB hit, and he has earned a strong 75.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (including a terrific 81.2 pass-blocking mark). As such, his absence will be missed as the 8-3 Dolphins seek to stay atop the AFC East and continue their push for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference.

Kendall Lamm, who has worked at LT in relief of Armstead this season, will once again step into that role if he is healthy enough to do so. Lamm is dealing with a back injury, though he was at least able to finish out the final few snaps of Friday’s matchup with the Jets when Miami was dealing with an OL shortage.

Lamm, 31, has already started six games this season, his highest total since he started 13 contests as the Texans’ primary right tackle in 2018. Unsurprisingly, he has not played as well as Armstead, having yielded three sacks and 13 total pressures. Still, his 65.9 overall PFF grade positions him as a starting-caliber tackle this year.

Dolphins Activate Terron Armstead From IR

November 4th, 2023 at 4:34pm CST by Ely Allen

After being designated to return from injured reserve and returning to practice three days ago, Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead has been activated off of IR for Week 9, according to a post from the team’s X account. Armstead should now be able to start against the Chiefs in Frankfurt tomorrow morning.

Following a nine-year stint in New Orleans to begin his career, Armstead earned a five-year, $75MM deal (up to $87.5MM) from the Dolphins in 2022. He missed a chunk of games last year while dealing with a pectoral strain but still earned a Pro Bowl nod, the fourth of his career. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best offensive tackle among 81 qualifying players. Armstead has missed the last four games while recovering from a knee injury that required an IR stint.

Armstead’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for Miami. At one point in last week’s win over the Patriots, the Dolphins were down four starters on the offensive line. Right guard Robert Hunt has been declared out for tomorrow’s game after being classified as day-to-day. Center Connor Williams is still coming along slowly and joins Armstead with a questionable tag heading into the matchup of the two AFC division leaders.

In order to make room for Armstead on the roster, the Dolphins waived defensive tackle Brandon Pili. The undrafted rookie out of USC found playing time in the team’s first four games of the year but hasn’t appeared in the four games since.

Dolphins OL Terron Armstead Returns To Practice

November 1st, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins should soon be getting a significant boost to their offensive line. Coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that offensive tackle Terron Armstead has returned to practice (via Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley).

Armstead has missed the last four games while recovering from a knee injury that required an IR stint. He’s eligible to be activated from injured reserve at any time, and the Dolphins will now have 21 days to make the move.

“We’ll see how he responds to the effort and we’ll assess that the next day and do the same the following day,” McDaniel said (via Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald).

Following a nine-year stint in New Orleans to begin his career, Armstead earned a five-year, $75MM deal (up to $87.5MM) from the Dolphins in 2022. He missed a chunk of games last year while dealing with a pectoral strain but still earned a Pro Bowl nod, the fourth of his career. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best offensive tackle among 81 qualifying players.

As Oyefusi notes, the Dolphins were down four offensive line starters at one point during last weekend’s game against the Patriots. The Dolphins continue to bring center Connor Williams along slowly, while right guard Robert Hunt is day to day after suffering a hamstring injury vs. New England. While it might not happen this weekend in Germany, Miami should soon have most of their starting OL back in the lineup.

Load More Posts