The Miami Dolphins gave Terron Armstead a large contract this offseason to help secure an offensive line that was shaky at best in 2021.
We’ve yet to see Armstead on the practice field, as he’s been recovering from surgery, but that hasn’t stopped him from impacting the team by teaching technique and professionalism to some of the younger members of the team.
This time of the offseason is always the point where everybody wants to discuss rankings. Who’s better than who? Everybody has their own opinion.
This week, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar was tasked with ranking the top 12 offensive tackles in the league, and he did so, while also listing a number of honorable mentions. Armstead came in at No. 6 on Farrar’s list.
In an effort to solve their left tackle problems, the Dolphins signed Armstead, the former Saints star, to a five-year, $75 million contract in March. It’s a contract that could reach $87.5 million with incentives, and given Armstead’s excellence through his NFL career, we wouldn’t be surprised if he reaches those lofty goals. Elbow, knee, and shoulder injuries limited Armstead to just eight games in his final season with the Saints, but even with all that going on, he gave up just one sack, two quarterback hits, and nine quarterback hurries on 263 pass-blocking snaps. Armstead, selected in the third round of the 2013 draft out of Arkansas Pine-Bluff (HBCU!) has never allowed more than five sacks in a season, and has given up seven total sacks since 2018.
Jordan Mailata, Tyron Smith, Tristan Wirfs, Lane Johnson and Trent Williams were all listed above Armstead in this ranking.
Some of these names are definitely questionable, but the injuries are really impacting everyone’s perception of Armstead, and rightfully so. If the guy isn’t able to get on the field, that significantly impacts his value.
Since 2016, Smith has missed 33 games, including nine last season. He’s spent this offseason rehabbing from surgery and getting ready to perform to the best of his ability. He wants to prove he was worth that contract the Dolphins gave him, help win a Super Bowl, and, whether he knows it or not, move up this list.
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