HEADLINES

Kendall Lamm

OL Notes: Bears, Commanders, Coleman, Fashanu, Jets, Lamm, Dolphins, Paul, Titans

August 8th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

In Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton, the Bears added two starter-caliber veterans along their interior O-line this offseason. They still may not be satisfied up front. Nate Davis did not live up to his three-year, $30MM contract last season, and the ex-Titans starter has missed time due to a groin injury in practice. Bates has guard experience, starting for most of the 2022 season in Buffalo (on a Bears-constructed contract to which he remains attached), and could be an option at RG as well. But the Bears should be expected to look into the trade market and closely monitor the waiver wire — as cuts come in later this month — for interior help, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. Chicago is set at left guard (Teven Jenkins) and seemingly would be prepared to make the loser of the Shelton-Bates center battle an interior swingman, but Davis’ health and shaky 2023 showing looks to have generated a bit of concern — for depth purposes at the very least.

Here is the latest from O-line situations around the league:

  • Brandon Coleman is moving closer to becoming a rookie tackle starter in Washington. The Commanders are giving the third-rounder first-team left tackle reps, per NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, and The Athletic’s Ben Standig adds Coleman may be the safest bet to start at tackle to open Dan Quinn‘s tenure. Quinn said both Washington tackle jobs are open, and Standig adds 2023 free agency pickup Andrew Wylie and veteran Cornelius Lucas may be vying for the RT job (subscription required). Some evaluators viewed Coleman as a better guard in the pros, but the Commanders do not share that assessment. More of a spot starter than a full-timer, Lucas has still made 31 starts during his four-year Washington run. Wylie is attached to a three-year, $24MM deal.
  • The Jets devoted their top offseason resource to insurance on their O-line, but the Olu Fashanu pick will obviously matter more in the long term. Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are in place at tackle in New York, but Fashanu looms as a post-2024 starter at one of the positions. The Penn State product has repped exclusively at left tackle during training camp, but the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes team will give him RT reps as well. Smith’s extensive injury history points to Fashanu needing to make LT starts as a rookie; both Smith and Morgan are on expiring contracts.
  • Although the Dolphins used a second-round pick on Patrick Paul, the former Houston tackle may be more of a project than a player the team would count on to fill in for Terron Armstead if/when the talented veteran misses time. Veteran swingman Kendall Lamm remains on track to hold that role this season, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Armstead has missed 11 games since joining the Dolphins in 2022 and has missed more than two games in seven of the past nine seasons. Miami having chosen Paul 55th overall points to the prospect being given a chance early, and a June report suggested the rookie had a good chance to unseat Lamm. Though, Lamm — re-signed before the draft at one year and $2.5MM ($1.6MM guaranteed — represents quality insurance that would have the Dolphins carrying four tackles.
  • Elsewhere on Miami’s O-line, the team still has Isaiah Wynn on its active/PUP list. While Wynn is expected to eventually regain his starting LG job, Jackson notes Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Jack Driscoll are vying for the two starting guard positions. The Dolphins lost Robert Hunt in free agency but re-signed Jones and added Driscoll. A former second-round pick who has played across Miami’s O-line, Eichenberg is in a contract year.
  • Prior to Saahdiq Charles‘ surprising retirement, Brian Callahan said (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport) the Titans free agency pickup and Dillon Radunz had been given near-equal time at right guard. No starter had been named, but Charles’ mid-camp exit certainly gives Radunz — a converted tackle in a contract year — a good chance to be the team’s guard opposite Peter Skoronski.

Latest On Dolphins’ OT Depth

July 2nd, 2024 at 6:12pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are hoping second-round pick Patrick Paul can eventually replace Pro Bowl offensive tackle Terron Armstead, but the rookie wasn’t expected to play a significant role in 2024. However, Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com believes Paul could quickly climb the depth chart and displace incumbent swing OT Kendall Lamm.

Lamm is entering his third year in Miami and is coming off a 2024 season where he got into 613 offensive snaps, the second-highest total of his career. With Armstead having missed 11 regular season games through his first two years in Miami, the team’s OT3 will surely be counted on at several points during the upcoming campaign.

At the moment, that would be Lamm, who is penciled in behind Armstead and Austin Jackson on the depth chart. But Beasley believes Paul “has a real chance” at jumping into that role for the 2024 campaign. On some teams, Paul might be in line for a starting role after establishing himself as one of the draft’s top OT prospects. The Houston product was first-team All-Big-12 in 2023 before being selected by the Dolphins with the No. 55 pick. The six-foot-seven, 331-pound lineman was obviously lauded for his size, but Dolphins OL coach Butch Barry recently noted that the rookie has displayed other elite skills.

“You can see that he’s got great length and great athleticism,” Barry told Beasley. “A guy that wants to learn, a guy that wants to be the best that he can be. I think that we have quality veterans that can really help in that…But he’s got so much upside for us to work with, and we just have to keep honing in.”

As the coach noted, Paul will lean on his veteran teammates throughout training camp. He’s already found a mentor in Armstead, who has been more than happy to help his newest teammate.

“I’ve had a short time with Patrick so far. I’ve seen some great things on the field, impressive for sure,” Armstead said. “Got a lot to learn, a lot of areas to improve in, but you see it — for sure, you see the potential. You see why he’s here. Smart young man, but any and everything that I can possibly give, show, say, see is going to be offered to him.”

Lamm doesn’t bring the same upside as his newest teammate, but he obviously provides more experience. The former UDFA has managed to stick around the NFL for nearly a decade, getting into 104 career games. The veteran inked a new one-year, $2.5MM deal with Miami this offseason, and the team could clear $900K if they decide to move on from the 32-year-old during training camp.

Dolphins To Re-Sign T Kendall Lamm

April 2nd, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Needed extensively during the 2023 season, Kendall Lamm will see his run of Dolphins starts lead to another contract with the team. Miami is re-signing the veteran swing tackle, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.

Lamm is staying with the Dolphins for a third season, doing so on a one-year deal. The former Texans UDFA started eight games for the Dolphins last season, with Terron Armstead‘s run of injuries again requiring regular duty for a backup.

Armstead is staying with the Dolphins for a third season, and while the former Pro Bowler has delivered quality work when healthy, the ex-Saint’s injury baggage has resulted in a number of absences. As various injuries limited Armstead last season, Lamm became a key piece on a battered Miami front. Lamm logged 520 snaps at left tackle last season — nearly as many as Armstead, who totaled 585 — and added 93 in place of Austin Jackson at right tackle.

The 585 snaps marked Lamm’s most on offense since the 2018 season, when he served as the Texans’ primary right tackle. The Dolphins had Lamm on low-end deals in each of the past two seasons. He played for just $1.32MM in 2023. Given Armstead’s injury issues and Lamm’s regular usage last season, a bit of a raise would appear in play. The Dolphins have both their starting tackles signed through 2026, having extended Jackson during the season, but neither are attached to top-10 deals at their respective positions.

Lamm’s Texans work landed him a gig with the Browns, his employer from 2019-20. Lamm then served as a swingman for the 2021 Titans. Despite Taylor Lewan‘s knee trouble and the team’s issues staffing its RT position during the 2020s, Lamm only logged one start with Tennessee. The Dolphins brought him in during Mike McDaniel‘s first season, adding the Appalachian State alum in November 2022. Injuries were a major factor for the ’22 Dolphins’ front as well, with Jackson missing 15 games and Eric Fisher signing with the team but never being healthy enough to suit up. Brandon Shell worked as Miami’s primary RT that season, but the Dolphins used Lamm in that OT3 role last year.

Lamm, 31, has 37 starts on his resume. He will join Jack Driscoll as reserve tackle options for the team. Lamm will also provide some continuity for a Dolphins team that lost four-year starter Robert Hunt in free agency. Two other interior starters — Connor Williams, Isaiah Wynn — are unsigned, leaving Miami with the prospect of three new interior starters. The team will largely run it back at tackle, however.

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 Notes: QB, Gaskin, Berrios, LG

August 19th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

In most cases, the Dolphins aren’t utilizing camp position battles to determine starting roles. But as the deadline to cut the roster down to 53 players draws nearer and nearer, decisions have to be made throughout the roster. Here’s a look at who’s battling for a roster spot as the preseason continues, thanks to some helpful analysis from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

  • At quarterback, the starter is set, but the backup job may be closer than you’d think. Miami signed quarterback Mike White in the first hour of free agency, making it seem like they were dead set on him taking over at QB2. Last year’s backup, Skylar Thompson, doesn’t seem willing to go down without a fight, though, making the battle more competitive than some would assume. White is the presumed winner of this position battle, but if Thompson has a stellar preseason, he has a chance to surprise.
  • After failing to sign free agent running back Dalvin Cook, the room is shaping up to hold Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and third-round rookie De’Von Achane, at the very least. If the team is going to open up a fourth roster spot for the position, it’s likely that one of Myles Gaskin or Salvon Ahmed will fill the role while the other will be on the chopping block, if not both. The Dolphins will have to determine if a fourth running back will help the team, and if not, Gaskin or Ahmed’s time in South Beach may be over.
  • Behind the team’s top two wideouts, there are a number of options to plug in. According to Jackson, AFC East mainstay Braxton Berrios seems to be taking direction from wide receivers coach Wes Welker well, giving him an edge on the depth chart. He’s competing with Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and Chosen Anderson for the WR3 role, and seems to have a handle on it. Anderson has been making up for a slow start to camp lately but may need to compete with River Cracraft if the team only decides to keep six wide receivers.
  • At tight end, the battle for the third tight spot poses the most intrigue, assuming the team only takes three tight ends. The starter, Durham Smythe, and the rookie, Elijah Higgins, are likely to make the roster, leaving backups Eric Saubert and Tyler Kroft fighting for what is likely going to be the final roster spot at the position. Neither is much of a factor in the passing game, so whoever shows the best blocking ability throughout the rest of camp may be rewarded the short-term job security.
  • The biggest battle on the line is the battle for the starting left guard spot. Liam Eichenberg and Isaiah Wynn appear to be in a dead heat for the job, according to Jackson. Wynn has more NFL starting experience, but Eichenberg is more familiar with the franchise. Aside from that, the other big battle is for the swing tackle role. Veteran and former starter Kendall Lamm reportedly has established a lead over Cedric Ogbuehi for the job. Seventh-round rookie Ryan Hayes could also contribute to the team depth at the position if he makes the roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/23

March 15th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Washington Commanders

Smith got a two-year deal from Denver that can max out at $5.5MM, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). Smith got a $1.4MM signing bonus to join the Broncos, per Troy Renck of Denver7 (via Twitter). After finishing last in kicker return average in 2022, the Broncos should get a bump from Smith, who averaged 23.9 yards on his 40 kickoff returns for Houston over the past two years.

AFC Injury Rumors: Bengals, Dolphins, Leonard

January 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Cincinnati will host the Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs this weekend, but they will have to do it without two of their starters on the offensive line, according to Mitch Stacy of The Associated Press. Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that right guard Alex Cappa will join right tackle La’el Collins on the sideline this Sunday night.

Cappa had his ankle rolled over late in the third quarter last week while blocking in the pocket. Initial fears were that the injury would end his season, keeping him out for the entirety of the playoffs, and while Taylor is holding out hope for future games this January, we know that Cappa will not play this weekend.

Cappa joins Collins, who saw his season come to an end after suffering a knee injury in a Week 16 win over the Patriots. Collins has been replaced by Hakeem Adeniji who played in a backup role this season after starting 13 games last year. Adeniji drew criticism for his pass protection in the playoffs last season, when the offensive line drew most of the blame for the team’s loss in Super Bowl LVI.

Cappa will be replaced by backup Max Scharping. After starting 33 games in his first three seasons with the Texans, Scharping was picked up by the Bengals after being waived just prior to the season. The offensive line was a huge weakness last year for a Bengals team that still made it to the Super Bowl. They may have to struggle over that hurdle once again if they want to win it all in February.

Here are a couple other injury rumors from around the AFC, starting with another playoff squad:

  • If the Bengals’ offensive line situation is considered bad, the Dolphins‘ has to be considered downright tragic as the team practiced today without three starters and three backups on the offensive line alone, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Starting left guard Liam Eichenberg missed today as he deals with a hand injury. After that, the remaining five linemen who missed practice are the team’s top five tackles. First, tackles Austin Jackson and Eric Fisher remain on injured reserve with an ankle and calf injury, respectively. Jackson is eligible to return from IR but isn’t quite ready to, while Fisher is not yet eligible to return. Right tackle Brandon Shell is dealing with a high ankle sprain and mild knee sprain and is likely going to be out this weekend in Buffalo. Kendall Lamm has been dealing with an ankle issue and is questionable to play on Sunday. Lastly, left tackle Terron Armstead missed practice as he deals with multiple ailments including injuries to his hip, foot, knee, and pectoral muscle, according to Jackson. Not one to be subdued by pain, Armstead told Jackson that as long as his muscles function, he’ll be playing against the Bills. Potential backup options include Greg Little and starting right guard Robert Hunt, with Robert Jones filling in the guard spot. Geron Christian, Michael Dieter, and practice squad linemen should all be ready to hear their names called, as well.
  • Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard missed most of the season this year as he dealt with a nerve issue that has limited the use of his left calf. Leonard had back surgery to the address the issue in June but never saw the results he’d hoped for. Leonard and Indianapolis staff found it necessary to undergo a second surgery and, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star, it seems to have been much more effective. Leonard told Erickson that, after the second surgery, “the nerves are re-firing in his leg…in a way that didn’t happen after the first surgery.” Leonard is one of the premier players at his position, so signs that he is starting to progress back to his old self are welcome signs, for sure.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/22

December 31st, 2022 at 5:15pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s roster moves heading into gameday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Promoted from practice squad: G Kyle Hinton, DL T.J. Smith

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/22

December 24th, 2022 at 6:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Following the Saturday slate of games, we still have four more games this week. Here are the minor moves leading up to the three Sunday games on Christmas Day:

Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

 

Murphy has missed the last five games for the Cardinals while dealing with a back issue, so while it’s not necessarily a further setback for Arizona, the transaction indicates that Murphy will miss the rest of the season before going into free agency. With Murphy absent, the Cardinals have started veteran Antonio Hamilton across from Marco Wilson.

Since losing starting running back Javonte Williams to injured reserve and waiving Melvin Gordon, the Broncos have utilized a combination of Marlon Mack, Latavius Murray, and a pinch of Edmonds. Edmonds was sent to Denver in a trade that sent star pass rusher Bradley Chubb to Miami. He only recorded four rushing attempts in two games with the Broncos before being placed on IR with an ankle injury. Edmonds will return to help back up Murray and Mack in the team’s final three games of the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/3/22

December 3rd, 2022 at 7:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the league’s minor transactions leading into the Sunday-slate of Week 13 games:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

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