Why Brewer Is Thinking Big for Dolphins O-Line

The veteran center was elected as a team captain in his second season with the team.

Miami Dolphins offensive linenam Aaron Brewer (55) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field last season. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Aaron Brewer says the realistic expectations for the Miami Dolphins' offensive line is to be the best in the NFL, and he's ready to do his part for it.

“Why is it realistic? Because we got the parts, you got the piece, you got everything we need,” Brewer said Monday. “So why not? Why not us?”

Voted a captain in just his second season with the Dolphins, Brewer is not only confident in his teammates but has fully embraced a leadership role on a line that will feature three new starters in 2025.

“Everybody just sees how I go about the day every day and just my work ethic,” Brewer said. “And also, outside of just football, I'm trying to build a true bond and connection with everybody outside of the game. 

“And so I feel like I'm doing something right for me to be a captain now, and they feel that. And they feel that genuine connection I'm trying to build with them and get them in the direction of where we're trying to go with this team.”

Brewer joined the Dolphins on a three-year contract last offseason after four years with the Tennessee Titans. He was penalized nine times and was beaten for two sacks while playing every offensive snap last season, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Now, as the second-longest tenured starting offensive lineman behind Austin Jackson, Brewer is pushing himself to set the standard following Terron Armstead’s retirement in the offseason.

“I just take pride in it,” Brewer said. “I feel like that's what God put me here for, to have that role and to push that. So I just try to embrace every part of it and be the best version of myself to accomplish that goal.”

Early Impressions of Jonah Savaiinaea

The Dolphins revamped the starting offensive line with two new guards over the offseason. While James Daniels steps in at right guard with seven years of NFL experience, rookie Jonah Savaiinaea is starting at left guard. 

Though Savaiinaea played mostly tackle in his final season at Arizona, Brewer says he's ready for the challenge of starting at guard in Year 1.

“He's a sponge,” Brewer said. “He's a great rook. He comes out there every day, and he's trying to learn and just live up to the standard of the guys around him. He's trying to soak up all the knowledge he can. He's trying to perfect his technique, his craft every single day. And so I love what I've seen from him. He's continuing to get better every week. 

“If you look at him, he's huge. He's a big boy. So he's big and he can move. When you've got those two traits, you got an opportunity in this league.”

Savaiinaea, 6-5 and 326 pounds, will start next to 6-foot-7, 326-pound left tackle Patrick Paul. Despite their size, Brewer says it’s the mobility on the left side that will help the offense rebound after falling from seventh to 21st in rushing yards per game last season.

“If you see this offense, we've got a lot of moving parts and part of being an offense, you need to be athletic,” Brewer said. “And so that's a big plus for us in this run game and we're going to be able to do some big things.”

Preparing for the Indianapolis Colts

Former Dolphins assistant coach Lou Anarumo replaced Gus Bradley as the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator over the offseason after the unit was gashed for 361 yards per game last season and ranked 24th with just 2.1 sacks per game.

Anarumo joined the Colts after six seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator — and he was also Miami’s interim defensive coordinator during the 2015 season.

Knowing experienced play-callers will look to exploit the younger linemen, Brewer is making sure his group is ready for whatever the Colts throw at them in Week 1.

“It's usually what a defensive coordinator tries to do,” Brewer said. “They try to pick at the guys who are fresh, but it's our job to have them prepared and for them to know they're going to get those things, being some young guys. 

“So it's my job and their job to have them overly prepared for what we're going to get.”