What Lamm Said About Being Back in Miami

Kendall Lamm is back with the Miami Dolphins, providing a veteran presence for an offensive line in transition.

After spending training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles, Lamm was released during final roster cuts. The move cleared the way for a return to Miami, where he had started 15 games over the past two seasons.

“It's great to be here,” Lamm said Thursday. “It's great to help the team once again, and it's a blessing for sure.”

Lamm started seven games at right tackle last season. He didn’t allow a sack and was penalized just once while playing over 500 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Despite a strong year stepping in for Austin Jackson, his 10th NFL season ended with him undergoing back surgery. With a full offseason to recover, Lamm said he now feels ready to go.

“Having to get the back surgery last year at the end of the year and not being able to finish it the way I wanted to, it was different,” Lamm said. “Going to Philly this offseason and really being able to lift, be around NFL training staff to allow my back to rehab, and to really feel what I needed to feel to see if this is what I wanted to do was big for me.”

Miami begins the season with three new starters on the offensive line, and Lamm’s return gives the group a steady veteran with experience at both left and right tackle. Beyond his versatility, his familiarity with the offense is a bonus for a unit still working to establish chemistry.

“I was really fired up for his teammates and for the Dolphins,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “You talk about a guy that makes people better just by his existence alone, on top of his own play. This is a guy that his teammates were supremely happy to see come back.

“I think overall it’s nice to have him just jump back into the mix after our team has changed significantly since he was last here. That in-house litmus test I think provides positive residuals towards what this team has been building.”

First Impressions of Starting O-line

A primary focus this offseason was getting more physical up front, starting with the early free-agent signing of former Steelers guard James Daniels. 

On the left side, 6-foot-7, 326-pound Patrick Paul is stepping in at tackle, while Miami drafted 6-foot-5, 326-pound guard Jonah Savaiinaea from Arizona.

“Watching their practice yesterday on film, getting in here, you can see the attention to detail,” Lamm said. “You can see they're implementing what we try to do here, putting new wrinkles in with new personnel. You can definitely see the kid that we brought in here from Arizona.” 

While Paul was drafted last year, he started only three games as a rookie behind Terron Armstead. Now stepping in as the anchor at left tackle, his growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by Lamm.

“You can see Pat Paul taking steps,” Lamm said. “You know, as well as I do, we've been around this a long time. The more experience you get in our league, especially when you're around the coaches, you're around your teammates, it just allows you to get better each and every time. So it's been fun to watch.”

On top of the changes along the offensive line, Lamm feels a different energy in the building now that he’s back with the Dolphins.

“The vibe of the team and things in general. They seem very, very close here,” Lamm said. “Whatever was done during training camp — I know the joint practices against different teams were huge, but you can definitely see there's not necessarily a hierarchy of leadership, but you can tell people are starting to fall in line. Like, people understand what it is.”

“People understand this is professional football. Let's do things the way we need to do them so we can accomplish what we need to accomplish.”

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