The acquisition of Terron Armstead this offseason supplied the Miami Dolphins the cornerstone left deal with they should fortify the offensive line and permit new coach Mike McDaniel’s offense to flourish.
The 31-year-old bulldozer within the run sport with three Pro Bowls to his credit score, who additionally brings a veteran presence to an in any other case younger offensive line, is ideal in that function. As he has his observe workload growing deeper into coaching camp, Armstead is approaching a stage of preparedness to return on his surgically repaired knee in time for the common season.
But a priority with Armstead is how a lot time he has missed because of harm in his profession. Since turning into a full-time beginning left deal with for the New Orleans Saints in 2014, Armstead has missed 38 video games, together with 9 final season with knee and elbow illnesses.
What occurs if he has to overlook time with the Dolphins?
The Dolphins’ depth at deal with has appeared troubling in coaching camp. Second-year participant Larnel Coleman, a 2021 seventh-round choose, and Greg Little, traded for in coaching camp of 2021, are the backup tackles on the depth chart with Austin Jackson the starter reverse Armstead at proper deal with. Jackson and beginning left guard Liam Eichenberg have expertise at left deal with over the previous two seasons, however shifting them would additionally create one other gap on the road.
Little missed Saturday’s preseason sport and was once more held out of Tuesday drills, deemed “day to day” by McDaniel with an undisclosed harm. That left Coleman to play 93 p.c of offensive snaps within the exhibition towards the Buccaneers at left deal with. Meanwhile, Kion Smith performed 76 p.c of offensive snaps at proper deal with after Jackson made his exit.
Both Coleman and Smith allowed essential sacks of third-string rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson that halted drives within the first half of Saturday’s motion. It leaves many questioning if Coleman can step up if known as upon.
“I’ve seen him as having a very good camp, and I see him having the ability to continue the process and have an even better camp. But it’s been far from perfect,” McDaniel stated on Tuesday of Coleman’s efficiency in an elevated function each on Saturday and thru a lot of camp as Armstead has been labored again slowly.
“I was pumped with him getting out there and what he did during the game. We’ve explained to him what he can do to improve and, hopefully, that’s what this is all for.”
Coleman has had an extended journey again from being stashed on injured reserve his complete rookie season after present process surgical procedure on a knee final preseason.
“It sucked, unfortunately,” stated Coleman, “however coming into this yr, I used to be similar to, ‘You know what? I got to give it my all.’ I’m feeling 110 p.c higher, so I used to be itching to get again on the sphere.
“I had never missed a season before. It was really my first time. It was really unfortunate, but I had my teammates there and everything to keep my spirits up.”
As Armstead has watched Coleman and Little, the previous second-round choose of the Panthers in 2019, again him up in practices all through camp, he sees them bettering.
“They’ve made huge strides,” he stated final week in Tampa. “Those two I’d say, respectively, have made essentially the most strides on this brief time frame in camp.
“Greg is strong. He’s young, but he’s a veteran. He’s played a lot of football. He’s experienced. Larnel has a lot of tools. Great tools — his length, his strength, he’s an intelligent player. Just trying to clean up technique things and getting those guys comfortable and confident with the scheme so they can play fast.”
McDaniel would have an intriguing choice if he has to search out an harm alternative for Armstead at left deal with this season. He’d be ready to both preserve the remainder of the road the identical or transfer Eichenberg or Jackson out to left deal with whereas most likely incorporating both Michael Deiter or Robert Jones into some shuffle of positions on the road.
“Left tackle is an interesting one because, with the edge rushers that are in this league, you can go from sack-fumble to completion-explosive [play] because there is so much space,” he stated Sunday. “I would say from a starting point, I would try not to move a starter out of their position to cover up another position. But I wouldn’t say that would be an absolute because you have to think through, know the pros and cons, and kind of address it the best you can.”
Eichenberg stated Tuesday he’s undecided what transfer offensive coaches would make in such a state of affairs.
“Hopefully, we don’t get in that situation,” he stated. “I think we have great depth. I’m pretty comfortable with the guys we have in the room. I believe in every single one of them, and I’m excited for them.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com