The Miami Dolphins opted not to re-sign center Connor Williams earlier this year. Instead, they went with Aaron Brewer, who left the Tennessee Titans as a free agent. Brewer has been visually bad at times for the Dolphins this season, given some of the snap issues, but has he really performed poorly?
Taking a deeper look at the Miami center, his play has been quite good, and if not for the snap issues, fans may have a different opinion. According to PFF, Brewer is having an excellent season for the Dolphins.
Brewer's PFF offensive grade ranks fifth among qualifying centers around the NFL heading into Week 9 of the season. Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs, who the Dolphins could have drafted over Liam Eichenberg, currently has the top PFF offensive grade among centers in the league.
Brewer is having his best statistical season this year. Since 2020, he has posted PFF offensive grades of 76.2, 57.9, 59.9 and 71.6 in 2023. Miami offensive line coach Butch Barry has elevated his play quite nicely.
The Dolphins' offensive line is always a point of contention, but in reality, it is brought down by only two positions: right and left guard. Miami is good on the edges with Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson, but the middle of the line is a problem, and because of poor guard play, Brewer is lumped in with the problems.
Miami Dolphins center Aaron Brewer having his best season ever
Conversely, looking at Robert Jones and Eichenberg, we can see where the issues fall. Jones has an overall grade of 64.9, while Eichenberg's grade is 57.9. Jones's PFF offensive grade ranks 37th among offensive guards so far this season, and Eichenberg's ranks 56th.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier doesn't weigh the value of guard like he does other offensive line positions. His drafting of Robert Hunt was fantastic, but then he let him leave the team in free agency. He traded up for Eichenberg, and that is looking more and more like a failure. When he signed Connor Williams, a solid guard with the Dallas Cowboys, he moved him to center.
If the Dolphins are going to succeed this year or the next, they have to find a way to fix the interior. Anchoring around Brewer looks like it will be a good starting point, but until Tua Tagovailoa has time in the pocket, the Dolphins passing game will not function the way it should.
