The Miami Dolphins have their work cut out for them trying to replace perennial pro-bowl left tackle Terron Armstead. Armstead was PFF’s third highest graded tackle in 2024, the third straight year he had finished inside the top three. Left in his wake is Patrick Paul, Miami’s first round draft pick a season ago.
Armstead is remaining with the Dolphins in a coaching role to further his mentorship of the young tackle. Paul spent his rookie season learning under one of the leagues best and it was an experience he did not take for granted.
“Coming in last year, I had T-Stead in front of me, which I knew that coming in, that I was going to be the guy to go next and learn from him and have him as my mentor,” Paul said Tuesday. “So this year is just different, coming in and trying to grow into that role and be the guy for this team. It’s been good. It’s a work in progress.”
Paul is a six-foot-seven monster for whom the sky is the limit. With an unusual blend of size and athleticism, Paul says he was quite literally built for this.
“Maybe the speed for how big I am,” Paul said. “That might throw people off. You know, you see someone who’s 6-7, a lot of weight coming at you, you might be shocked.”
Now Paul is set to become the front man for this young offensive line and he is ready for everything that comes with it.
“I’m built for this. Always been ready for this, and that’s why I play football, to compete at the highest level and to be the best at my job.”
McDaniel Speaks On Paul Taking Over
Before Paul had a chance to speak to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Miami’s head coach Mike McDaniel stood at the podium. McDaniel was asked about the second-year tackle and where he is at in his progression.
“He had a huge transition to make, in terms of style of play and the detail that we ask tackles to play with,” McDaniel said. “He had Terron Armstead in the building every day and he had a ton of veteran leadership within the room, and he really chopped wood each and every day. And I think you could see his big-vision scope.”
This came after McDaniel highlighted what he believes was a very successful rookie season for Paul.
“He epitomizes a player that didn’t waste his rookie season,” McDaniel boasted.
Terron Armstead Remains In The Building In A Coaching Role
It is clear that Terron Armstead has made himself a mentor for the young tackle. While Paul himself speaks incredibly highly of the former NFL main stay, the Miami Dolphins front office clearly think highly of the duo as well, as they decided to keep Armstead on board to further his mentorship of Paul.
“It’s a huge accelerator,” McDaniel said when asked about the impact of Armstead mentoring Paul. “Coaching can only take you so far. There’s another level of coaching tied to peer ownership that is a completely different vessel… When you have a player like T-stead invest in you, you want to bear fruit of that investment.”
