The Dallas Cowboys know that improving the defense is the main focus this offseason, and their moves in free agency thus far show that. Five of the seven players that the Cowboys signed in free agency have been on the defensive side of the ball.
While they have bolstered the safety and cornerback rooms, respectively, they still have a big hole at linebacker that needs to be filled. Thankfully, the Miami Dolphins could gift the Cowboys an All-Pro LB through trade, and Dallas has talked about the possibility.
Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram revealed that Miami's Jordyn Brooks has been discussed by Dallas, leaving fans with the hope that the front office should find a way to get that across the finish line.
Cowboys Should Find a Way to Acquire Jordyn Brooks from Dolphins
The Dolphins are in the midst of a rebuild with new head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan taking over. And they aren't hiding that they are tearing things down to the studs after they released Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Tua Tagovailoa. They also traded Jaylen Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
With it clearly being an emphasis to move on from its talented players for draft compensation, Brooks is an option Dallas should seriously consider. There was speculation that Nakobe Dean would be a target for this team, but that didn't happen.
Adding Brooks would give the Cowboys a menace in the middle of the field. He's been in the NFL for six seasons, logging 839 total tackles, 47 TFLs, and 13 sacks, including five straight seasons with 100+ tackles. Last season was his best yet, leading the NFL in total tackles (183) and solo tackles (99), along with 3.5 sacks, 13 TFLs, and three pass breakups.
Advanced metrics also showed how productive Brooks was. Based on the grading system used by Pro Football Focus, he had a 77.8 overall grade (10th among 88 graded LBs) and 92.0 run defense grade (3rd among 88 graded LBs). He did leave room to be desired in pass coverage, logging a 52.7 coverage grade (48th among 88 graded LBs) and allowing 71 catches, 682 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.
Nonetheless, Brooks has a nose for the football and is an elite run defender. He was a First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2025, and the idea of him joining the Cowboys has to be fascinating. He has one year left on his team, and with Miami reshaping its roster, they could be looking to get an asset in return instead of letting him potentially walk away for nothing next offseason.
The Cowboys should cough up a high Day 3 pick (4th or 5th round) to get Brooks to the Lone Star State and immediately improve one of the biggest weaknesses on the team. They do have two first-round picks in April's NFL draft, but getting Brooks would allow them to use those assets elsewhere instead of linebacker.
Brooks is coming off the best season of his career, making him a no-brainer addition. Management has talked about the idea, but it's time to put action into it.