1:03pm: Armstead intends to reduce his pact to the veteran’s minimum, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. That is another strong indication he will hang up his cleats, but substantially reducing his base pay will ease the burden of his retirement on the Dolphins’ cap situation. Acquiring depth at the left tackle spot (and others up front) will of course remain a key Miami priority, but the team will soon have added flexibility to do so.
11:29am: Terron Armstead has not given the Dolphins an answer on his 2025 plans, but the team is prepared to move on if need be. Miami is currently operating as though its three-year left tackle will not be back.
The 12-year veteran was not committed to playing in 2024 coming out of the team’s frigid wild-card loss in Kansas City, but he decided to come back. Miami still drafted his heir apparent, choosing Patrick Paul in Round 2. Paul would be in line to take over opposite Austin Jackson if Armstead retired.
“He’s going to take his time with his family and loved ones and make that decision because it’s not an easy one,” Mike McDaniel said (via C. Isaiah Smalls II) at the Combine. “But we will be operating as though we’re moving on in that way simply for the execution of free agency and the draft.”
Armstead, 33, is tied to a nonguaranteed $13.3MM base salary for the 2025 season. He is signed through 2026. The Dolphins went through with a restructure last year, and that will help create a dead money bill if the Pro Bowler retires. If the former Saints draftee walks away this year, the Dolphins will take on $18.4MM in dead cap. But they have a hopeful successor ready.
Paul made three starts last season, as Armstead played well while matching his career high by making 15 starts in a season. For a Dolphins team that has seen injuries largely define Tua Tagovailoa‘s career, losing Armstead will sting. The team is planning to make other O-line updates this offseason as well.
While Miami is not certain to have Armstead, it is safe to say the team is not 100% on retaining Tyreek Hill as well. The mercurial wideout has since backtracked on what appeared to be a clear trade demand, when he refused to reenter a Week 18 game against the Jets. That preceded a call for a South Florida exit. Hill, who will turn 31 this week, attempted to walk it back during Super Bowl week. But the Dolphins have not unequivocally stated (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) they are prepared to retain him after the January dustup.
The Dolphins reworked Hill’s contract to provide the future Hall of Famer with a significant guarantee boost. It would cost them just more than $28MM in dead money in a pre-June 1 trade; that would approach the wide receiver dead cap record the Bills set when they moved Stefon Diggs last year. The Dolphins are believed to be prepared to hear offers for Hill.
Hill is still signed through 2026, but his antics and off-field history do not make him a particularly stable investment — the two 1,700-yard seasons notwithstanding. If the Dolphins want to move on from this level of WR talent, doing so before his age-31 season would naturally yield a better return compared to the team cutting the cord next year. In an offseason in which Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel are expected to move, Hill is a variable to watch as well.
As for Hill’s wrist rehab, McDaniel confirmed (via Wolfe) the nine-year vet did undergo surgery. But Hill did not suffer a broken wrist; the surgery instead addressed ligament damage. Hill is expected to be fine for training camp.
This is ridiculous. If Tyreek Hill wants his $56 million in guaranteed money, he can damn well catch football for it, in Miami. There’s no reason for Miami to take that cap hit.
In the worst case, Hill can negotiate his outright release without payment and ply his trade elsewhere.