The Miami Dolphins allowed center Connor Williams to walk into free agency and a reunion with the offensive lineman appears unlikely. But the team’s transition to 2024 acquisition Aaron Brewer isn’t off to the smoothest start.
Through the first week of training camp, snaps from Brewer and the team’s other centers have struggled to get the ball to Dolphins quarterback consistently.
Fumbled snaps under center a huge issue today. Already four. Chop Robinson recovered the fumble.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) July 29, 2024
Second bobbled snap for Aaron Brewer on a snap to Tua. pic.twitter.com/qvx4EKnXeO
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) July 29, 2024
The snap issues have been really bad today. Way too many balls on the ground.
— Travis Wingfield (@WingfieldNFL) July 29, 2024
Miami Dolphins have a snapping problem at the moment pic.twitter.com/cMqFPkpsIz
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) July 30, 2024
Jordan Poyer just picked off Tua in team drills. Dolphins offense has looked entirely out of rhythm today — mainly due to snap issues.
Centers have struggled getting QBs the ball throughout camp. We’ve seen this before but it’s something that has to improve over the next month
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) July 30, 2024
Third bad snap of practice, this time for Andrew Meyers.
Butch Barry looks like the angry character from Inside Out. pic.twitter.com/9soPKd6Z1K
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) July 30, 2024
Is it a problem that needs to be addressed with the addition of a new potential starting quality center? Or is it an issue that can be ironed out with more reps before the season begins the fall?
For now, Mike McDaniel isn’t too concerned.
“I’ve become more wise in my coaching years, and snap issues used to just trigger me to all end,” McDaniel said Sunday. “Now the process, I still get triggered, but it’s really fast because it is a part of the process that you that you have to understand. When you have quarterbacks and centers and guards playing with different people at the beginning of the camp and you’re using multiple snap counts and you’re going against multiple looks, it is something that I’m used to.
“You wish it didn’t happen, but the main thing is you want to see some improvement and development as the time goes on. If you have the same issues with the same players continuously, that’s when it’s a huge red flag. Otherwise you’re just making sure that the issues that you had are addressed and worked on and hopefully those are corrected.”
If the Dolphins eventually decide it’s a “huge red flag,” Brewer has experience as a starting guard in the NFL. But that decision would need to come soon, because they’re running out of time to add Williams or another starting quality center to the roster.