The Dallas Cowboys' offseason is about to become a lot more real now that organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp are a thing of the past. America's Team's attention now rests solely on this year's training camp, which will officially begin on July 21 for veterans and rookies.
It's going to be interesting to see how the roster unfolds going forward. First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer has a good idea of what he has to work with following the early offseason workouts, meaning he might already know which players will and won't fit into his plans.
With that being said, it wouldn't be surprising to learn if a certain Cowboys playmaker is a trade candidate before training camp even begins.
Cowboys Fans Won't Be Sad if WR Jalen Brooks is Traded Before Training Camp
A few Cowboys entered the 2025 offseason on thin ice in Dallas, including third-year wideout Jalen Brooks. The Cowboys selected the former South Carolina Gamecock with the 2023 draft's 244th overall selection, and it's safe to say he's done little to secure a 53-man roster spot next season.
After being limited to seven appearances as a rookie, Brooks suited up 14 times with the Cowboys in 2024, which included his first career start in Week 9. Unfortunately, the increased playing opportunities didn't amount to much as Brooks finished the year with 177 receiving yards and a touchdown on 12 catches.
Brooks was an unreliable weapon throughout the season, catching only 40.0% of targets while drawing a forgettable 43.3 passer rating. For reference, Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the only quarterback last year with a passer rating worse than that (39.5), just how much of an offensive black hole the Cowboys' WR was.
Brooks' outlook is made worse now that Dallas doesn't need him as much as it once did. CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, George Pickens, and Jonathan Mingo are the top four options in the WR room, and that's without mentioning veterans like Parris Campbell and Kavontae Turpin. If Schottenheimer & Co. are already convinced that Brooks isn't better than any of those names, a trade could be on the horizon.
Even though he still has two years left on his rookie deal, the Cowboys can create $1.03 million in salary cap savings by trading Brooks this summer, according to Spotrac. The potentially freed-up funds can then be used to flesh out a position that could use more help.
With Brooks "only" being 25 years old, Dallas might be able to find a trade partner willing to trade a seventh-round pick — a fair return for a player drafted in the same round two years ago.
At the end of the day, Cowboys fans shouldn't be surprised if Brooks isn't on the roster once training camp starts in just over three weeks.