Zach Strief didn’t hold back when asked how high the ceiling could be for third-year New Orleans Saints left tackle Terron Armstead.
“There is no ceiling for him. He could be one of the best of all time,” Strief said. “He really could. I believe that very much.”
It didn’t come across as hyperbole, either, from the 10-year veteran, who has teamed with seven different Pro Bowl linemen during his career with the Saints.
That’s the kind of buzz Armstead has been generating for the past two years, both publicly and privately from Saints personnel, because of his rare combination of athleticism, strength, instincts and work ethic.
“I would say Terron probably has every single attribute you would look for in an offensive lineman,” Strief said. “I think he’s highly athletic, he’s extremely strong, he’s smart, he works his tail off. He wants to be great.”
The Saints drafted the 6-foot-5, 304-pounder in the third round out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2013 after he set the NFL scouting combine record for the fastest 40-yard dash by an offensive lineman (4.71 seconds).
Armstead became a starter late in his rookie year, in which he had one bad, welcome-to-the-NFL performance against the Carolina Panthers. But he improved rapidly after that, helping the Saints make a run to the divisional round of the playoffs. Armstead then played solidly as a starter last season until he suffered a neck injury in December.
I actually expected Armstead’s big breakout to come last season. He didn’t quite play at a Pro Bowl level while allowing a total of three sacks. But his value was never more evident than when he was sidelined for most of the final four games. Backup Bryce Harris struggled mightily in his place in losses to Carolina and Atlanta.
“He's a very, very mature guy,” Saints offensive line coach Bret Ingalls said of Armstead. “We took our time with him, him coming from Pine Bluff. At the end of that rookie year he obviously went in, he was efficient. And he's taking that thing and gotten better all the time. Every year he's gotten better. Right now he looks great. I'm excited about what we've got at left tackle.
“This guy here is a super athlete. He's different for the position. And he's a confident guy and a smart guy and a tough guy.”
Armstead has looked terrific in training camp so far, especially during the 1-on-1 pass-rush drills that make it easier to hone in on what a specific lineman is doing. Armstead has consistently walled off speed rushers who try to beat him around the corner, and he’s reacted quickly when guys have tried to cut inside on him.
Armstead also seems to be carrying himself with the confidence of an experienced veteran -- on the field, off the field when younger players ask for advice, and during media interviews. Armstead, however, insisted that he still has much more to learn.
Armstead added boxing workouts to his offseason routine this year as a way to improve his uses of his hands. He said the game is slowing down only when it comes to pre-snap reads and recognizing defensive tendencies. He said the athletes he faces aren’t slowing down.
“It’s huge to get feedback from a guy like Zach that’s been around, seen a lot of guys. It’s really great for him to think that way about me,” Armstead said when told of Strief’s comments.
Does he agree?
“I just want to improve. Every day,” Armstead said. “Every time I step on that field, I just want to get better.”