What Terron Armstead's return in 2024 means for the Miami Dolphins

Terron Armstead contemplated retirement when the season came to an end, the Miami Dolphins have a big investment in him. Now it seems he is coming back.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has reported that Armstead is expected back with the Dolphins this year.

As Jackson stated, March 16th is the deadline for the Dolphins as it relates to Armstead. Miami isn't going to release him, financially they can't. Miami would eat $24 million and save only $3 million if they released him. The Dolphins want him back.

The news that Armstead is returning is good for the Dolphins. In 2025, the $24 million drops in half so the Dolphins could move on after that. With Armstead, the Dolphins are keeping a leader and mentor in the locker room but they also know that Armstead isn't going to play an entire season.

Miami used Kendal Lamm last season to supplement Armstead when he was out. Lamm was good but wasn't on the same level, naturally. In 2024, the Dolphins have to have a plan in place and this could be a good year to pull a Branden Albert.

The Dolphins had Branden Albert at left tackle. He was in the last years of his career and the Dolphins drafted Laremy Tunsil knowing that Albert would start at LT. Tunsil played guard his first season and the following year, the Dolphins parted ways with Albert and Tunsil took over LT.

Chris Grier has to consider doing the same this year.

The Dolphins need guard help and many believe Miami will draft a guard in the first round but they could also go left tackle, slide him inside, and then move him next year. The Dolphins could also do the same in free agency.

The key for Miami is to not wait until they are against a wall in 2025. Armstead sticking around another year after this one is hard to imagine and the Dolphins have the chance to find his replacement now and give that player a year to watch and learn how Armstead approaches the game.

It would be a win-win situation for the Dolphins if they can make that happen and then address the guard position in the draft next year should Armstead retire or Miami releases him.

Grier has a tendency to wait and that creates situations with overpaying players or finding cheap players to fill in instead. This year, Grier can prepare for a future he should know is coming.

It's good to know Armstead will be back, no matter how many games he ends up playing but there should be a succession plan in place before the Dolphins take the field this off-season to start workouts.