As the draft approaches, the Dolphins have pending business with a pair of veterans.
Both linebacker Jordyn Brooks (pictured) and center Aaron Brewer are entering the final years of their contracts. On Wednesday, G.M. Jon-Eric Sullivan was asked whether he’d like to extend their contracts before the draft.
“That’ll work itself out,” Sullivan said. “They know where they stand, we’ve had conversations. They know how important they are to this team and where we are with them. The timing of that, that’ll work itself out. There’s nothing pressing for us to get something done in the next couple of days.”
Given how the draft goes, the Dolphins could emerge from the three-day process with potential replacements for either or both.
Both joined the Dolphins in 2024. Both entered the league in 2020. And both are 28; they were born exactly one week apart in October 1997.
The ability of players to cash in on name, image and likeness deals has changed college football, and it also changes the reality of pro football for some rookies who will make less money in the NFL than they made in college.
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman said the he’s even more determined to draft players who truly love playing football now that the financial incentives for some of those players have changed.
“The biggest issue is that, for the first time in the history of the National Football League, you’re taking players who are taking pay cuts,” Roseman said. “So the character of those players, their passion and love of the game, comes to the forefront even more.”
One such player is Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers, who reportedly turned down NIL deals worth up to $8 million to stay in college when he entered last year’s draft. As a seventh-round pick, Ewers got a four-year, $4.3 million contract.
It will only become more common for players to enter the NFL and have to accept contracts that pay them less than they made in college. And NFL teams will want to know that those players won’t put in less effort when they’re paid less money.
Troy Aikman is not a minority owner of the Dolphins, like Tom Brady is with the Raiders. But the former Cowboys quarterback seems as involved with the Dolphins in his new undefined role with the team.
General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said Aikman will be in the team’s draft room, although the Dolphins will not consult with him on picks.
“I can’t say enough good things about Troy and quite frankly Dan as well,” Sullivan said Wednesday, via video from the team. “Dan’s been here. Dan’s been in the room. Dan’s has been a tremendous sounding board for us. We’ve had a lot of fun together. . . . He’s been especially helpful for me with quarterbacks and receivers. Troy’s been a wonderful sounding board in his own right from afar. Troy will be part of equation moving forward. What that looks like, we’ll see. But he’s been a great sounding board, and I’m glad he’s going to be part of the equation.
“I know he’ll be here. He’s certainly welcome in the draft room.”
Aikman helped the Dolphins with their General Manager search that landed Sullivan the job. Sullivan then asked Aikman to serve as a consultant in the coaching search, and now Aikman will continue to help the Dolphins.
He will also continue with his day job as the Monday Night Football game analyst for ESPN.
Running back De’Von Achane did not report for the start of the Dolphins’ offseason program, but his absence hasn’t changed the team’s view of keeping him for the 2026 season.
General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said last month that no one is untouchable, but that Achane is part of the team’s future and that there is “zero effort” from the Dolphins to trade him. Sullivan said at a Wednesday press conference that the team is working on a new deal for the running back and that they remain uninterested in moving him.
“He’s not available for trade,” Sullivan said. “Things are going good. We’ve had some positive conversations over the last couple of days, trending in the right direction. Obviously, he’s very important to what we’re doing. It’s part of professional sports. We’ll get where we need to be one way or another, but things are trending in the right direction.”
While there might be an offer that changes the Dolphins’ view of holding onto Achane for the long term, it doesn’t sound like there’s much reason to believe he will be anywhere but Miami come the fall.
The Dolphins brought in Malik Willis as a free agent last month and their new look at quarterback could also involve the addition of a rookie in next week’s draft.
A pair of possibilities visited with the team on Tuesday. Jordan Reid of ESPN.com reports that former Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is meeting with the Dolphins while Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports former Iowa starter Mark Gronowski is in Miami as well.
Daniels also visited with the Patriots recently and is coming off of six years with the Jayhawks. He missed time with injuries over the course of that time, but started every game in his final two seasons. He threw for 4,985 yards, 36 touchdowns and 19 interceptions while running for 843 yards and 10 touchdowns the last two years.
Gronowski started 55 games at South Dakota State and won two straight FCS championship game MVP awards before transferring to Iowa last year. He completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,741 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions and added even more points to the offense by running for 16 touchdowns as a Hawkeye.
