7:45 pm ET
Marcel Louis-JacquesESPN
MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins reached an agreement on Tuesday with forward Terron Armstead on a five-year contract worth up to $87.5 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, signing one of the top free agents of the 2022 cycle.
The deal includes $43.37 million in guaranteed cash, the source said.
Armstead confirmed he would sign with Miami in a video posted to Instagram.
“This is Terron Armstead, left tackle, my 10th year in the NFL, and I’m bringing my talents to South Beach,” he said in the video as he donned a Dolphins cap. “Miami, what’s up, let’s get to work.”
The former New Orleans Saints left tackle became a pro bowler three times in nine NFL seasons and should give a boost to one of last season’s worst pass-blocking teams.
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According to NFL Next Gen statistics, the Dolphins had the worst hitting blocking rate in the NFL last season, winning just 46.6% of their games. For reference, the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams led the NFL in this category with 68.4%. The Dolphins’ inability to handle blocks affected the way quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played, as his average shooting time (2.52 seconds) was the fourth-fastest in the league.
The Dolphins have publicly supported Tagovailoa throughout the offseason, and while much of the team’s success in 2022 will depend on his development, freshman coach Mike McDaniel insisted that Tagovailoa needed help.
“I’ve never seen a quarterback win a football game by himself,” McDaniel said. “He needs to have someone to throw to. It’s better that he doesn’t get captured before he quits, so it’s better for someone to block.”
Miami filled its need for playmakers early on by signing running backs Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, as well as wide receiver Cedric Wilson. He also used the franchise tag to keep the Mike Gesicki title and re-signed his stunt double, Durham Smythe.
But the addition of Armstead and former Dallas Cowboys guard Connor Williams helps bolster an offensive line that Miami has spent four top 100 draft picks on since 2019. The addition of Williams and Armstead likely means that former first-round picks Austin Jackson and Jesse Davis will not be returning as the team’s starting left back and right tackle, respectively. Williams and Armstead can secure the left side of Miami’s line while they figure out what to do with former second-round picks Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg, who have defensive and tackling flexibility. At center, Michael Deiter started eight games in the injury-shortened 2021 season.
Former Browns center JC Tretter is available and has the second-best blocking record in the NFL since 2019. Or Miami could go to the draft to fix things if they think they need to get away from Deiter.
Armstead, who turns 31 in July, has been one of the NFL’s elite left tackles since the Saints selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft from the Arkansas Pine Bluffs and made him their starting player near the end of it. rookie season.
In 2018, he was named second-team All-Pro and was selected to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2018 to 2020. Pro Football Focus ranked Armstead as the NFL’s top offensive tackle in both 2015 and 2018. The prodigious athlete for his size, 6’5″ and 304 pounds still holds the record for the fastest 40-yard dash by an NFL Scouting offensive lineman at 4.71 seconds.
However, Armstead’s career has also been plagued by injuries, including elbow and knee injuries that saw him play eight games in 2021. After the season, he underwent knee surgery, calling it a success and saying, “It’s time to get better!” on Instagram.
Armstead also missed a total of 21 games from 2016 to 2018 while battling knee, hip, shoulder and chest injuries. But his health has improved as he missed just three games from 2019 to 2020.
In 2016, Armstead signed a five-year, $65 million contract, making him one of the highest paid left tackles in the league at the time. He still has nearly $13 million in dead money from that deal that should be counted towards New Orleans’ 2022 salary cap.
In 2019, Armstead was selected by Walter Payton for Saints Man of the Year for his efforts both on the field and in the community.
Mike Triplett of ESPN contributed to this report.