Miami Dolphins agree to five-year deal with offensive tackle Terron Armstead

The three-time Pro Bowl selection in nine NFL seasons should be an immediate upgrade to one of the league’s worst pass-blocking teams last year.

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins reached an agreement with the offensive tackle on Tuesday Terron Armstead for a five-year deal and up to $87.5 million, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPNtying up one of the best free agents of the 2022 cycle.

The contract includes $43.37 million in guaranteed money, according to the source.

The former left tackle of the New Orleans Saints is a three-time draft pick Pro Bowl in its nine seasons NFLand should provide an upgrade to one of the league’s worst pass-blocking teams last year.

The dolphins had the worst block win rate for passing plays in the NFLwinning in just 46.6 percent of their matchups, according to NFL Next Gen. For reference, the champions of the superbowl, Los Angeles Ramsled the NFL in that category, with 68.4 percent. The inability of dolphins of holding blocks impacted the way the quarterback played Tua Tagovailoawith an average time to throw of 2.52 seconds that was fourth-lowest in the league.

The dolphins have publicly endorsed Tagovailoa throughout the offseason, and while much of the team’s success will depend on its development in 2022, first-year head coach, Mike McDanielhas insisted that Tagovailoa requires help around him.

“I haven’t seen a quarterback win a football game by himself, ever, actually,” he explained. McDaniel. “He needs someone to throw to. It’s in his best interest not to be getting knocked down before he throws, so somebody needs to block.”

Miami addressed his need to add explosive players early in free agency, signing running backs chase edmonds and Raheem Mostertand wide receiver Cedrick Wilson. Also, he used the franchise tag to retain tight end mike gesickiand renewed with his substitute, Durham Smythe.

But add to Armstead and the former guard of the Dallas Cowboys, connor-williamshelps fortify an offensive line in which Miami has invested four Top-100 draft picks since 2019. The additions of Williams and Armstead they probably mean the former first round recruit austin jackson and Jessie Davis they won’t return as the starters at left guard and right tackle, respectively. Williams and Armstead can anchor the left side of the line of dolphins as the team figures out what to do with former second-round picks Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg, both possessing the flexibility to play guard and tackle. In the middle, Michael Deiter he started eight games in an injury-shortened season in 2021.

The former center of Cleveland Browns, JC Tretteris available, and has the second-best pass block win rate in the NFL since 2019. Or, Miami could look to the draft to fill the position if he feels he needs an upgrade from Deiter.

Armsteadwho turns 31 in July, has been one of the elite left tackles in the NFL since the saints they took it in the third round of Draft 2013 from Arkansas-Pine Bluffand made him their starter toward the end of his rookie season.

He was named to the second team All-Pro in 2018 and selected three Pro Bowls consecutive from 2018-2020. Pro Football Focus rated Armstead as the best offensive tackle in the NFL for the 2015 and 2018 seasons. A tremendous athlete for his size, the 6-foot-5, 304-pound lineman still holds the mark for the fastest 40-yard time by an offensive lineman in the NFL scouting combinein 4.71 seconds.

However, the race Armstead He has also been plagued by injuries, including elbow and knee injuries that limited him to eight games in 2021. He underwent knee surgery the following season, describing it as successful and noting, “Time to fix it!” On Instagram.

Armstead he also missed a total of 21 games from 2016 to 2018 while dealing with knee, hip, shoulder and pectoral issues. But, his health improved and he missed just three games between 2019 and 2020.

The offensive lineman signed a five-year, $65 million contract extension in 2016 that made him one of the highest-paid offensive tackles in the league at the time. He still represents a dead money charge of about $13 million from that deal against the salary cap of New Orleans in 2022.

Armstead was selected as the candidate for Walter Payton Man of the Year of the saints in 2019 for his efforts on the field and in the community.

Information from Mike Triplett was used in the writing of this note.