Kelly: It’s time for Dolphins to get Patrick Paul involved | Opinion

It’s time for the Miami Dolphins’ biggest, and possibly its best 2024 draftee, to grace the field for action that matters.

These are the exact moments, and more importantly the reason that Patrick Paul was drafted in the second round (55th overall) by a franchise short on draft picks and in desperate need of immediate help everywhere but offensive tackle on the roster.

The worst-kept secret in the NFL is that Terron Armstead would miss games because of an injury. He has missed a handful of games in every one of his 12 NFL seasons for one reason or another.

Heading into Monday night’s nationally televised game against the Tennessee Titans, the Dolphins’ starting left tackle isn’t just nursing a shoulder injury he sustained two weeks ago. Armstead’s also in the concussion protocol because of a head and eye injury he sustained in last week’s 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Paul works with the Dolphins starters every week, primarily on Wednesday’s [or in this case Thursday] when Armstead typically gets a veteran’s day off because of his advanced age (33).

The rookie, who is a mammoth of a man at 6-foot-7, 332 pounds, and has excellent footwork and a nasty temperament, needs to play in Monday night’s game against the Tennessee Titans.

“I’m going to embrace it. It’s always a big moment, your first start, potentially. This is something you should be excited for,” Paul said after Thursday’s practice. “You just got to rise to the occasion and ball out. I’ve been coached here for months on end, and if I get the opportunity to go in there and I’m going to dog people because that’s what I’m coached to do, that’s my nature.”

There isn’t a doubt in my mind Paul’s less polished than Kendall Lamm, who played admirably as Armstead’s replacement for seven of the eight games he started last season, and has spelled Armstead the past two games when the five-time Pro Bowler’s injuries flared up.

But Lamm has already announced this is his final season in the NFL, and even he admits Paul’s time is coming “sooner than later” because coaches can’t ignore his makeup, or draft pedigree.

“They drafted you where they did for a reason,” Lamm constantly reminds Paul. “You better be ready for when that time comes.”

Last week head coach Mike McDaniel insinuated Paul wouldn’t be in the starting lineup, replacing Armstead, because he prefers to put his rookies in positions to have success early. Having him start his first game in Seattle, which presents one of the most hostile environments for road teams because of crowd noise, wasn’t idea.

That’s fine. Even understandable.

But here we are, with Armstead in the concussion protocol, probably not practicing all week as he seeks clearance from neurologists.

Paul has an entire week to work in Armstead’s spot, an entire week to master the game plan, and it would be ideal for him to get his first start at home, where the offense shouldn’t have to operate under a silent snap count.

The situation is ideal, and the environment is perfect.

So what’s the possible excuse?

“Realistically, our coaches do a great job of knowing where our rookies are, and knowing the amount of pressure they need to feel on a daily basis. You try to put pressure on guys so they don’t know football without it, so they aren’t on cruise control.” McDaniel said. “He’s responded well so I’m feeling good about his development. I think his chance to play NFL football is coming soon. I just don’t know how soon. He’s got to tell me that [today]. Where is he at today?”

When discussing the evaluation of young players, Hall of Famer coach Bill Parcells once famously said, “If they don’t bite when they’re puppies, they usually won’t bite.”

It’s time for the Dolphins to figure out if Paul’s a biter because Miami needs to know exactly what they have at left tackle because the odds of this team honoring Armstead’s $14..3 million salary for the 2025 season are slim.

The dumbest thing this franchise could do is not seize this opportunity, and go into next season with a mystery at such a critical spot.

The past two offensive linemen — Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg — Miami drafted with the intention of having them play left tackle for the next decade didn’t plan out. Because of their struggles the Dolphins decision makers were forced to audible, which is how Armstead ended up in Miami.

This is the time for Miami to figure out if Paul has the makeup to be an NFL starter or not, and it would be shameful if the franchise wasted it.