The Miami Dolphins' rebuild included shipping Jaylen Waddle to Denver for a package that includes a first-round pick.
For players like Dolphins center Aaron Brewer, the trade was a shot across the bow. The second-team All-Pro told Terron Armstead on “The Set” that his first thought when he heard about the trade was disbelief.
“My initial reaction is I’m just shocked. I’m shook,” he said. “I’m like, what are we doing? But then at the same time, I’m happy for my brother. It’s always a family perspective, like, yeah, I want to have the best team we can have, but I love when people go to a different position and I always wish the best for them. So, I hope he’s fine.”
Following the first few stages of NFL-rebuild grief, Brewer quickly got to acceptance, considering the move -- and other losses the Dolphins have endured this season -- an opportunity for someone else to advance his career.
“Then my next thought right after that, like, OK, what are we finna do?” Brewer said. “What are we doing in that wide receiver room? Who is the next man up? So, every time with something like that, I’m looking at the people we’ve still got. Because when you see something like that, you’ve got to put something on your shoulder. That’s an extra chip. You see an opportunity. Anytime somebody is gone, Bradley Chubb is gone, that next defensive end, outside linebacker? Opportunity. A receiver left. Hey, , opportunity. So, that’s where my mindset went with it a little bit.
"I’m trying to see how these players that we do have, how are you going to fill these shoes? What’s your mindset now? Are you going to pick up the weight and carry that torch and keep it pushing? ... That’s my perspective on it right now.”
That is the only mentality NFL players can take into a situation like the one Miami finds itself in. It’s not Brewer's fault that the previous administration mismanaged things, or that the highly paid QB bombed out and the club had to eat a massive chunk of dead cap, or that his veteran teammates were being shipped out. Players like the underrated Brewer can only go about their work, believe the man next to him will strive to do his best, and have faith that the new administration will eventually get it right. Football, particularly at the NFL level, is far too brutal to survive without that type of mentality.
While the Dolphins are shedding core veteran players, it didn’t sound like Brewer was looking to escape the rebuild. The 28-year-old, who was snubbed from the Pro Bowl, was asked about entering the final year of his contract and whether he anticipated an extension.
“I see something in the near future. I wouldn’t say I’m quite a visionary, but I see something in the near future,” Brewer responded.
The Dolphins moved on from Waddle and others, but the entire ship isn’t being scrapped for parts. Keeping a key player like Brewer around for more than just next season would be a positive sign for Miami’s rebuild.