In 2024, the Miami Dolphins used their second-round pick (55th overall) on an absolute door of a human being in 6'7", 326-pound left tackle Patrick Paul. While former general manager Chris Grier receives a lot of well-earned criticism around these parts, his investment in a Terron Armstead replacement before it was absolutely necessary proved prescient.
Paul played sparingly as an injury replacement during his rookie year, before taking over the starting gig following Armstead's retirement in 2025. In his first year on the job, he outperformed even high expectations, already appearing to be a solid piece of Miami's young core. In speaking with his mentor Armstead on the latter's The Set podcast, Paul shed some light on how he's grown as a leader.
There was some razzing between the two, centered around how Paul entered the league as a rookie. Some veterans weren't taking kindly to his trash talk before he'd proven anything on the field. Paul didn't seem to love the lesson, though he got the message.
Patrick Paul's journey with the Dolphins started with a stern talk from Terron Armstead
“I was ready to learn, ready to get in there. I wasn’t expecting y’all to be as hard as vets as y’all were, but I was ready.”
After Armstead jokingly prodded that the two were "chill" now, Paul expounded further.
“What we are now is chill. Y’all were not chill. No, [Terron]. You was a little different man.”
Armstead then beamed with the energy of a proud father as he took some credit for the way the offensive line started working.
“I was, which I think played a factor into how y’all work. I had to be a little tough on you at the beginning.”
Now, we're two years removed from Armstead's last season in Miami. Some might be wondering whether the lessons took for good, or whether now that the grizzled vet was retired and out of the building, things had changed. Paul, in explaining what he'd been up to this offseason, proved that not only was he going to abide by the standard Armstead set, but he was going to extend it to others.
“From the start, pre-OTAs, basically getting the body back right. Doing different modalities to get my body back right just so I can feel good. I train right there at the facility, and then in the afternoons, I’m hitting Pilates five days a week. Also, incorporating field work with the guys. [Austin Jackson], all the other guys — we still train at the facility. Just getting with them, doing the footwork, on-field drill, stick drill.”
“When I first got here as a rookie, I just saw that’s what the O-Line did. That was just the culture before I even got here. So seeing [Jackson], all these starters, [Aaron Brewer], everyone’s kind of staying down here. I was like, okay, this might be the wave.”
The entire saga should be music to fans' ears. For those who were a little concerned about the lack of mention for Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea, fret not. Paul followed up, adding that the two have taken part as well. For a team under new leadership and undergoing wholesale changes, it's encouraging to know that positive habits are being built, particularly after the last regime's failure was blamed on a lack of discipline.
Still only 24 years old, Patrick Paul is already one of the veterans of the team. Only a select few players from the last few years of the Grier–Mike McDaniel era are still around. Paul survived due to his youth and the immense improvements he showed in year two. In order to keep improving and for the results to follow, the Dolphins need to be putting in precisely the work they are.
It's impossible to know exactly how much credit first-year head coach Jeff Hafley deserves, as Paul was naturally going to develop from a rookie to a young player with some experience. That development isn't limited to the field; it encompasses emotional development as well. The early reviews are in on Paul, and let's just say: the future is bright.
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