Dallas admitted a desperate need at linebacker during the draft, but a blockbuster move for All-Pro tackling machine Jordyn Brooks could finally solidify their new-look hybrid defense.
FRISCO - Do the Dallas Cowboys get brownie points for trying?
Right around the NFL Draft in April, the Cowboys reached out to discuss a trade for Dolphins All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
It didn't come together, so Dallas kept reaching.
The Cowboys took shots but missed out on free agent targets like Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Devin Lloyd.
And then, on Draft Weekend, the Cowboys once again essentially admitted their shortcomings at the linebacker position as they drafted a linebacker in Michigan's promising Jaishawn Barham and traded for another in the 49ers' tackle leader Dee Winters.
They say the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one. Dallas has done that and more in its pursuit of a running mate for DeMarvion Overshown in this new "3-4 Hybrid'' defense under rookie coordinator Christian Parker.
But I vote for one more try ... with another brownie point hanging in the balance.
The Dolphins remain in strip-down mode, having said goodbye to a number of pricy veterans as they approach what they know will be a losing season.
They've also muscled up with young linebackers via the draft, a harvest featuring Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez in Round 2.
So there is some Dolphins writing on the wall here.
Now, what are the Cowboys going to do about it?
Maybe the Dolphins are waiting for the June 1 threshold to come and go; they can reduce the cap hit on Brooks by $8 million by waiting until after that deadline to trade him. Or maybe they're waiting for a blockbuster offer that exceeds whatever Dallas is willing to spend.
Would Miami take a 2027 third-round pick in exchange foe a player in Brooks who last year led the league in solo tackles (99) and combined tackles (183)?
Brooks is 28 and was an All-Pro last year after coming to the NFL with a first-round pedigree. He was born in Dallas, raised in Houston and attended Texas Tech.
Also worth noting: There isn't really a financial obstacle here. In 2024, Brooks signed a three-year deal totaling $26 million to move to Miami; that's not prohibitive. As he's in the final year of his deal, both the player and the Cowboys would surely like an extension. ... and based on his present APY, that shouldn't be outrageous, either.
If the Cowboys want to get Brooks, the clock starts ticking today ... and the only real blockage to one of the biggest brownie points of all would come if they get outbid in a trade proposal.
