Why Dolphins center Aaron Brewer is still here despite contract situation
Aaron Brewer had quite the 2025.
Not only was the star center named second-team All-Pro, he was a finalist for the inaugural Protector of the Year Award, an honor bestowed upon Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney. And while Brewer has a looming contract situation on his hands, that hasn’t stopped him from being present at his first minicamp under the new regime.
“I know one way to go about things and that’s working and keeping my head down,” Brewer said Tuesday afternoon. “That’s what I come out here and do every day. Lead the guys. I hope to be here for the long run, so I’m trying to pour everything in me to everyone around me to make us the best team we can be.”
One of the best centers in the NFL last season, Brewer has one year left on his contract. Sure, he could have sat out Tuesday’s practice, yet that’s just not how he was wired.
“Every year is a new year and so, every year, you got to prove yourself again,” Brewer said. “I was second-team All-Pro last year. This year, I want to be first team. I wasn’t a Pro Bowler last year, this year I want to be Pro Bowl this year. I was a nominee for Protector of Year, I want to be the Protector of the Year.
“That’s what keep pushing me and keep me thriving every year,” Brewer continued. “Every year there’s a clean slate, a new year.
The result has been worthwhile to say the least.
“I love Brewer, I love the way he’s practiced, I love the way that he’s gone about his business,” coach Jeff Hafley said Tuesday morning before addressing the contract situation. “Hopefully that gets ironed out.”
Brewer’s presence will be essential to the chemistry-building along the offensive line. Not only does the center remain the key connective force, he has two new people in Kadyn Proctor on the left and Jonah Savaiinaea on the right in positions that they’ve never played before at the NFL level.
The good news: both players look right at home.
“It’s amazing,” Brewer said of Proctor, praising the rookie’s veteran mind-set. “He’s trying to do everything he can to get ahead of the eight ball to not act as a rookie. I love that from him, his mentality when he comes out here. He’s trying to work. He’s trying to take in everything that he can to be the best left guard next to me as possible.”
Savaiinaea, specifically, looks almost like a new player now that’s he lined up on the right side.
“He’s very comfortable in that right guard spot,” Brewer said. “I mean, personally, like being a guy that played multiple positions, I didn’t think it was like that big of a difference. But like him going back to that right guard spot, it looked like you can tell he is a right guard.”
With the Dolphins now fully leaning into this run-first mentality, Brewer’s presence will become even more important. Turn on the tape of 2025 and Brewer’s mobility in space stands out as he continuously paves the way for De’Von Achane’s big runs. That the Dolphins will take this approach from Day 1, rather than midseason bodes well to the team’s offensive effectiveness.
“It’ll be huge because we saw last year, like when we started having a success, we were running about 20-plus times, and when we did that, we came out with wins,” Brewer said. “As offensive linemen, just from the results we saw last year, it looked like that’s the recipe, especially with a talent like Achane. Now we got big KP right there, Jonah at his original spot he was at in college, Pat [Paul] going to his third year and got the reps under him. I’m excited for it.”
