Heading into the offseason, it was unclear whether or not Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead would choose to continue his NFL career.
With retirement openly on the table, Armstead elected to instead sign an “adjusted contract” that would keep him in Miami on March 10. The details of said contract were finally revealed on March 17.
“OT Terron Armstead signed a 3 year, $38.63M restructured contract with the Dolphins that lowered his 2024 cap hit by $10.3M,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti reported on Sunday morning. Adding: “Armstead secures $10.1M fully guaranteed, all in 2024.”
While Miami could theoretically release Armstead as a post-June 1 cut in 2025 — saving $14.3 million according to Over the Cap — this three-year deal really hints that the Dolphins have secured their veteran left tackle for another two seasons, minimum.
Sure, another injury could force Armstead to reconsider retirement, or poor play could lead to a conversation about the aforementioned cut route. But the most likely outcome is that Armstead just signed up for the remainder of the Tyreek Hill/Jalen Ramsey championship window — or close to it.
That realization warrants a huge sigh of relief for the Dolphins community.
Specifics of Terron Armstead’s New Contract With Dolphins
Looking closer at Armstead’s new contract, it does come with a higher cap hit in 2025 and 2026, assuming no action is taken at a later date.
Over the Cap lists a cap hit of $10.554 million in 2024. That number then rises to a little over $22.1 million the next two seasons.
This cap jump is due to a much lower 2024 base salary after the adjustment. Armstead’s new $1.21 million base salary this year becomes $13.3 million and $12.33 million the following two seasons.
According to Over the Cap, these final two years of his deal “remain unchanged” from Armstead’s original five-year contract.
“Armstead renegotiated his contract in 2024 accepting a $4.25 million pay cut and receiving $10 million in guaranteed salary,” the salary cap experts explained. “The new contract includes a $7.29 million signing bonus and reduced his 2024 cap charge by $10.29 million.”
This renegotiated deal keeps the veteran blocker on the books through his age-35 campaign.
Dolphins Likely to Land Multiple Comp Picks in 2025
The Dolphins lost several free agents last week during the NFL frenzy of mid-March, but there is one positive that comes with departures.
Sun Sentinel reporter David Furones shared an updated look at Miami’s “projected 2025 compensatory draft pick equation” on March 17 — which he relayed via Over the Cap. As of now, the Dolphins would gain three 2025 comp picks according to this formula.
Updated look at the projected 2025 compensatory draft pick equation for the Dolphins, from Over the Cap.
As the post displays, free agent departures and additions like Andrew Van Ginkel, Kendall Fuller, Raekwon Davis, Aaron Brewer, Brandon Jones and Jordyn Brooks all cancel each other out. Beyond that, Miami still has three losses that qualify for compensation.
Those players are former star D-tackle Christian Wilkins, former starting guard Robert Hunt and former starting safety DeShon Elliott.
The latter is only worth a seventh-round comp pick, but Wilkins and Hunt are the most important players in this discussion. Because the Dolphins developed both talents from draft prospects to massive NFL paydays, they are expected to be rewarded two third-round comps — which is the highest form of compensation for free agent departures.
Over the Cap has only projected five third-round comp picks so far this offseason, and the Fins were given two of them.
It’s unlikely that Miami signs or hires any more players or personnel that would cancel out Wilkins or Hunt, meaning the Dolphins should at least net two extra third rounders in 2025.
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