It's not often Miami Dolphins fans can say that Chris Grier got something right with the offensive line, but last year proved he finally did.
The Dolphins have made the mistake of passing on quality offensive linemen in the draft, specifically at center. In 2021, Grier could have drafted a fan favorite, Creed Humphrey, in round two. Instead, he traded up for Liam Eichenberg. Center has never truly been a position of importance for Grier in the draft.
Free agency hasn't exactly been kind to him, either. Since 2020, the Dolphins have had Ted Karras, Michael Dieter, Connor Williams for two seasons, and Aaron Brewer last year. Williams was a solid free agent acquisition until he got hurt, ultimately forcing him to retire.
Last year, Grier once again went to the free agent list and found Aaron Brewer. So far, it has been a good selection. So much so that Pro Football Focus FF ranked him as the seventh-best center in the NFL.
Aaron Brewer is a rare OL win for Dolphins GM Chris Grier
Last season, Brewer was one of only two centers to post a grade north of 70.0 in both pass blocking and run blocking.
This year should see an even bigger step forward for the former Titan. Last season, the Dolphins suffered through poor play on the inside, where Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg did the offense zero favors with consistent play. The fact that Brewer posted high numbers across the league is a good indication that Miami finally has a quality center.
If the additions of James Daniels and Jonah Savaiinaea prove to be good, or at the very least better than what they had last season, Brewer and his new interior teammates could open an entirely new option for the offense.
If Miami can hit the edge with their speed, keep Tua Tagovailoa upright, and be able to use the interior of the line to run the ball, it's a dimension that Mike McDaniel has not had the luxury of using since he was hired as head coach.