With the Miami Dolphins embarking on their latest rebuild, one of the most pressing questions they face is how long this one could take. Some moves, such as the release of Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and James Daniels, weren't exactly surprising, particularly because of their cap hits relative to their production. Then there was Tua Tagovailoa, whose play warranted his release despite the complications his contract presented.
Then there's a third subset of players: veterans who have been impactful on the field and have commensurately high salaries. This would apply to players like Jaylen Waddle, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jordyn Brooks, and Tyrel Dodson. Some of you pyromaniacs out there wanted to see Jon-Eric Sullivan burn it all to the ground. He proved a little more measured, though he still had some of that Charizard in him when it came to cleaning out the roster.
Aaron Brewer, the team's standout center who was a finalist for the Protector of the Year award in 2025, also falls in this group. Complicating matters was the fact that he was in the final year of a three-year, $21 million pact that he's greatly outplayed over the last two seasons. Luckily, Sullivan put his (or owner Stephen Ross') money where his mouth is and inked the second-team All-Pro to a three-year, $52.5 million extension that will keep him under contract through 2029.
Keeping Aaron Brewer was the right move for the Miami Dolphins, and ESPN's tabbing of him as a trending-up player reinforces the obvious
When the Dolphins embarked on their last full-scale rebuild in 2019, the cupboard was left substantially more bare than it is right now for Miami. The most curious decisions involved trading away Laremy Tunsil, a 25-year-old franchise left tackle, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, a 23-year-old second-year player making his first of two stops in Miami. That's not shedding aging vets — that's a full-blown inside job.
The Dolphins' approach this time around could prove wiser, especially as it relates to the future. Does anyone remember how abysmal the Miami offensive line was when Tua Tagovailoa was drafted in the first place? It's a good thing the new regime has shown a propensity for learning from past mistakes. More than that, though, is the fact that Aaron Brewer is a flat-out DAWG along the offensive line and an outstanding leader to boot.
In a piece evaluating breakouts in 2025, ESPN's Ben Solak set out to determine whether the development was a trend or a blip on the radar. Consider Solak among the Aaron Brewer truthers out there, as he called the breakout a trend that doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon.
"The recently-extended Brewer was the single most impactful offensive lineman last season. That isn't hindsight through his new deal -- he would have been my vote for Protector of the Year. In former coach Mike McDaniel's highly diverse running scheme, Brewer was featured as a puller and climber, similarly to how a fullback might be utilized as a lead blocker or in-space centerpiece. The Dolphins' running game produced the highest explosive play rate on designed RB carries last season (by a big margin!) thanks in large part to Brewer's ability to tag linebackers and safeties with shocking consistency."
"There's enough here in the current staff and construction of the Dolphins' offense that I trust Brewer's scheme fit for 2026 and beyond. A big extension certainly indicates the team plans on building around him for the next few years. This is a player trending up, even if he doesn't make the All-Pro list every year at center moving forward."
After needlessly making the Malik Willis evaluation more difficult, the Dolphins at least got this one right by keeping Aaron Brewer. Whether Willis is the answer or not, a presumptive rookie quarterback would also benefit greatly from an elite center snapping him the ball on every play. Think of all the help Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have received from Creed Humphrey and Tyler Linderbaum over the years. It's a no-brainer.
What's more, as the discourse around a player's age reaches absurd levels, we've reached the far-gone point of calling 28-year-olds "near-30-year-olds," a development that ignores the fact that many players come into the league at 22 or 23. Brewer is in his prime right now, and there's no conceivable reason for him to see a drop-off any time soon. The comfort of having him in tow for the foreseeable future far exceeds the potential that trading him for a Day 2 pick would've brought.
The Dolphins got this one right. If they want to go two-for-two, then Jordyn Brooks is merely something we're waiting for, not hoping for.
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