Terron Armstead

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead To Retire

April 5th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins will indeed be without Terron Armstead for 2025 and beyond. The veteran left tackle is retiring, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Armstead’s playing future has been in question this offseason, with many indications pointing to him hanging up his cleats. Miami entered free agency with the presumption that would be the case, and today’s update confirms the team will need to make other plans on the blindside. Armstead’s NFL career will end after 12 seasons.

The most recent comments on the subject from Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted the Dolphins were unaware of Armstead’s intentions. This development will not come as a surprise, though, and with plenty of time remaining before the draft Miami will be able to look even more closely into left tackle prospects. Whichever option – in-house or otherwise – takes on a starting gig, replacing Armstead will prove to be a challenge.

The 33-year-old managed to play 15 games in 2024, but as usual he dealt with a number of ailments along the way. Injuries were a constant issue for Armstead, whose three-year Dolphins tenure was preceded by a strong run with the Saints. When at (or even near) full strength, he was among the top left tackles in the league, as illustrated by his five Pro Bowl nods. Rather than trying to manage nagging ailments once again in 2025, though, Armstead will turn his attention to his post-playing days.

One non-void year remains on the former third-rounder’s contract, one which included a pay cut last offseason. Armstead was reported in February to be prepared to once again reduce his base pay, a helpful move given the Dolphins’ cap constraints. None of his base salary (set to check in at the veteran minimum) was locked in as of the 2024 restructure.

In spite of that, Armstead’s pro career proved to be quite lucrative. Starting all but four games (during his rookie year) across his Saints tenure, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff product secured $13MM per season on a five-year New Orleans extension in 2016. While playing out that deal, Armstead remained a consistent performer in terms of PFF evaluation, earning a stellar 90.4 grade in 2018. At no point was he able to log a full season, however, something which informed his free agent departure.

Miami added Armstead on a five-year, $75MM pact in 2022. Expectations were high as a result, and he delivered strong performances when on the field; this past campaign, Armstead registered the fourth-highest PFF grade amongst offensive tackles. Miami will be hard-pressed to enjoy that level of play with a replacement (likely Patrick Paul) next year, but a run of durability will nevertheless be welcomed.

Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Paul made three starts and logged a 30% snap share. The Houston product could be in line for a much heavier workload in 2025, although Miami could look to this month’s draft to add a starting-caliber option early on. By this point in free agency, few veterans capable of stepping into a first-team role remain on the market.

Overall, Armstead will hang up his cleats after playing 146 combined regular and postseason games. He accumulated roughly $115MM in career earnings.

Mike McDaniel Addresses Tyreek Hill’s Dolphins Future; Latest On Terron Armstead

April 5th, 2025 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a player who received a $54MM guarantee last summer, despite three years remaining on his previous contract, Tyreek Hill keeps coming up in trade rumors. This can be expected given how the mercurial star’s 2024 season ended.

More Hill social media inferences toward a potential Miami departure surfaced recently. Though Twitter emojis do not exactly qualify as significant trade buzz, Hill having checked himself out of the Dolphins’ Week 18 game and then casting doubt about his Miami future postgame obviously did. Noise about a Hill South Beach exit has persisted.

GM Chris Grier said in January no Hill trade request had come out of the strange Week 18 development, and while Mike McDaniel said such behavior will not be tolerated going forward. Several weeks later, the fourth-year Miami HC did indicate he expects to keep working with the future Hall of Famer.

“I can certainly say with certainty that at this certain moment,” McDaniel said when asked about Hill’s 2025 Dolphins status (via the Miami Herald’s C. Isaiah Smalls II), later adding “We are fully planning to move forward for a better version of our relationship with Tyreek.”

Hill made an effort to recommit to the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa in February, but his name continued to come up in trade rumors soon after. The Dolphins have the veteran speedster on their books through 2026; trading Hill before June 1 would cost the team $28.29MM in dead money. Only Stefon Diggs, via his 2024 Bills-to-Texans move, brought a larger dead cap hit among receivers.

While it would benefit the Dolphins to retain Hill, moving him ahead of an age-31 season would presumably bring more value than dealing him at 32. Miami having Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle on big-ticket deals also would make a cost-conserving effort logical, but for now, the team still rosters Hill. The period leading up to the draft represents the next trade window, one that would likely close on Day 2 of the draft.

Although Hill is coming off an injury-plagued season, he effectively cinched up Hall of Fame entry one day by stacking back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons on a resume that included a host of productive Chiefs campaigns. With injuries preventing Tagovailoa from finishing six games, however, Hill’s production cratered; he finished with 959 yards in 17 games. Hill underwent an offseason procedure on his wrist, and the Dolphins will hope — barring a strong offer prying him from Miami — he can recapture his pre-2024 form.

Hill’s fourth Dolphins offense may be unlikely to include Terron Armstead, who is still mulling retirement. While injury prone, the accomplished tackle has continued to play well. He is coming off a 15-game season, matching a career-high mark, but reports earlier this offseason pointed to a retirement and Patrick Paul taking over at left tackle. McDaniel, however, has not received word Armstead is done.

“We have had unbelievable amount of conversations about his body and how he feels. I think, tied into that, where he’s at relative to other years and how we can realistically forecast that, I think that’s going to really shape the answer to that question,” said McDaniel, who expects (via the Herald’s Barry Jackson) a decision soon. “It hasn’t ever been about Terron’s play, right? It’s been about how he’s been available, and he’s been straining to be more available for us than a counterpart would. He’s played through a lot of stuff.”

A February report suggested Armstead would reduce his base salary to the veteran minimum to lighten the cap burden on the Dolphins, as the Pro Bowler’s salary is nonguaranteed. If Armstead is to make a surprising return for his age-34 season, the Dolphins would need to regroup and work with him on a salary well north of the vet minimum. Pro Football Focus graded Armstead as the NFL’s fourth-best tackle last season. A 2024 second-rounder, Paul played 337 offensive snaps as a rookie.

Dolphins Preparing To Lose Terron Armstead; Team Not Slamming Door On Tyreek Hill Trade?

February 25th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Dolphins To Meet With Terron Armstead, Plan To Invest In O-Line

February 12th, 2025 at 9:59am CST by Sam Robinson

As Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury issues resurfaced, the Dolphins exited the 2024 season with major questions along their offensive line. Chief among them: Terron Armstead‘s future. After matching his career high with 15 games played, the veteran left tackle once again is undecided about sticking around.

Armstead has not determined if he will play a 13th NFL season, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates the decorated left tackle will soon meet with Dolphins brass about his future. Armstead’s five-year, $75MM contract runs through the 2026 season, but the ex-Saints draftee has taken a year-to-year approach recently.

By this time in 2024, Armstead had not yet decided to play, and Grier said last April the Dolphins had to prepare as though last season would be the five-time Pro Bowler’s finale. It appears the team still wants to extend the partnership with the oft-injured tackle.

Pro Football Focus slotted Armstead as the No. 4 overall tackle last season, though ESPN’s win rate metrics did not place the veteran blocker in the top 10 in run blocking or in pass protection. Armstead, 33, is due a $13.3MM base salary this coming season. That money is nonguaranteed, but the two void years Miami inserted into this contract would result in an $18MM-plus dead money bill if Armstead retires this year.

Armstead retiring would open a spot for 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul at LT, but Miami has more questions along its interior O-line. The team did not re-sign Robert Hunt or Connor Williams in 2024, and while Aaron Brewer is tied to a three-year deal, the team has guards Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn due for free agency. Wynn experienced a setback during rehab from his 2024 quad injury, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and only played in three games (103 total snaps). As could be expected, the Dolphins will make moves to address their front soon.

“We had some players that were very confident in [O-line coach] Butch [Barry] and Mike [McDaniel],” Grier said, via Louis-Jacques. “Those guys, I thought, deserved some praise because of what they had done the year before. And they started out the year well and unfortunately, injuries got to us, we didn’t finish well … We’re going to have to invest in the offensive line now.”

Kendall Lamm is not expected back, and would-be swing tackle Kion Smith is also unsigned after suffering an ACL tear during the preseason. The Dolphins still have Austin Jackson tied to a $12MM-per-year accord that runs through 2026, with he and Brewer — PFF’s No. 8 center last season — providing some stability for the team.

As was the case last year, the Dolphins need to make moves to reach cap compliance before the start of the league year next month. OverTheCap projects Miami to be more than $11MM over the to-be-determined 2025 salary ceiling. A Trey Smith push appears unrealistic, and the money allocated at tackle, center, wide receiver and quarterback may require a measured approach at guard in free agency — before a likely draft investment at the position.

NFL Injury Updates: Bell, Herbert, Armstead, Rodgers, Vea, Pacheco

September 15th, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns were able to escape Duval with their first win of the year but saw wide receiver David Bell carted off the field in the third quarter. According to Josh Alper of NBC Sports, head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media that Bell had been diagnosed with a dislocated hip.

While surely a painful situation, Bell seems to have avoided a more serious outcome. Despite leaving the field on the cart, Bell will be able to fly home with his teammates and seek treatment in Cleveland.

Here are updates on a few other injuries from around the NFL this week:

On a big day for the Chargers, there was a moment of worry when quarterback Justin Herbert got “rolled up” in the game, per Kris Rhim of ESPN. Los Angeles performed an x-ray on their starting passer, but more tests will be necessary to determine the extent of Herbert’s injury. The 26-year-old was noticably limping after the game.
While the notable injury in Miami on Thursday night was clearly that of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, left tackle Terron Armstead was also notably absent from the second half of the Dolphins‘ loss to Buffalo with a shoulder injury. In an update the next day, head coach Mike McDaniel clarified that Armstead avoided the worst-case scenario and would be returning “sooner than later,” per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. There was initially some fear that the injury could be a season-ending ailment, but it seems Armstead’s absence will only a couple weeks at most.
After sitting out the entire 2023 season due to a gambling suspension, Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers missed the team’s 2024 season opener with a hand injury. This week, we found out from Rodgers that his hand was broken on the last day of training camp when a teammate went to punch out a ball and punched his hand instead, according to Andrew DiCecco of 975TheFanatic. His hand is improving, and he has returned to practice.
Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea suffered a knee injury in today’s win over the Lions. Following the game, it was reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that Vea is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain. The veteran lineman will undergo further MRI testing tomorrow to determine the severity of the injury, but the team is optimistic.
Lastly, from the afternoon slate of games, Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco suffered an ankle injury in the team’s walk-off win over the Bengals today. Per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Pacheco is set to undergo tests and x-rays on his ankle. The team was extremely cautious with the young rusher, though, as he was seen leaving the stadium on crutches and in a walking boot.

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.

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.

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