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Bullet point summary by AI
- Three NFL teams have strong motivations to pursue a trade for Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks before the season starts.
- Each franchise faces distinct defensive needs that Brooks’ proven production and veteran presence could immediately address.
- The Dolphins would prioritize draft capital in any deal, but each suitor must weigh their current roster depth against the cost of acquiring an instant impact player.
Jordyn Brooks‘ name has been floated around the NFL rumor mill for most of the offseason. The Miami Dolphins don’t really gain much by keeping him, considering just how deep they are in the rebuilding process. They could hold off on moving him until the deadline in an effort to squeeze as much value as they can out of their best defensive player, but they may be better offloading him before the 2026 campaign begins considering he’ll hit free agency next spring.
Brooks is ranked the No. 7 linebacker in ESPN’s top 10 linebacker rankings. He’s coming off a spectacular 2025 season in which he finished with 99 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, three passes defended and a forced fumble. Brooks is a quality linebacker that would help any defense in the middle, but the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos have all the reason to be aggressive in landing an instant game-changer. Miami will need to be moved, but here’s what it might take to pluck Brooks from the lowly Dolphins.
A mock Dallas Cowboys trade for Jordyn Brooks
It’s no secret that the Cowboys need help in their linebacker room. I won’t rehash DeMarvion Overshown’s injury history or the fact that this depth chart on the inside features free agent signing Dee Winters and a whole lot of youth. That’s been Dallas’ focus in building this defense over the last couple of offseasons; Jerry Jones doesn’t take big swings in free agency and usually relies on trades and the draft. Adding Brooks, however, is tantalizing enough to be an exception. It offers veteran leadership and top-end talent, and just as importantly, it gives the Cowboys insurance in the event Overshown goes through more injury problems in 2026.
I’m torn, because I personally feel like the Cowboys should prioritize Brooks as a preseason addition while at the same time understanding that they have the potential for some decent depth here. Along with Overshown and Winters, Dallas also drafted Jaishawn Barham from Michigan in the 2026 NFL Draft after selecting Shemar James last year. This team has desperately been searching for stability in their linebacker room, though, and flipping some youth for certain makes sense given where the Cowboys are in their competitive cycle.
Dallas doesn’t have their first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft, and surrendering a second-rounder feels a bit too desperate. This deal can get done without giving up that pick, but it also means the Cowboys will need to part ways with one of their youngsters.
A mock Cincinnati Bengals trade for Jordyn Brooks
Cincinnati focused heavily on their defense this offseason, adding Boye Mafe, Dexter Lawrence II and Jonathan Allen to their defensive line and Bryan Cook to their secondary. They can’t waste another MVP-worthy season from Joe Burrow and took necessary steps toward preventing that. But was it enough? This defense still has a lot of question marks, specifically in their linebacker room: Demetrius Knight had an okay rookie year, but that’s not who you want to put all your faith in given how important this season is.
Brooks is a proven commodity who would give Cincinnati all the insurance they need, though it will be costly to land him. The Bengals might have to add a young piece Myles Murphy to sweeten the deal, but I think a former first-round pick in Shemar Stewart and a third-round pick is very fair for Brooks. The Dolphins get a player who still has time to prove he’s good enough to be a difference-maker up front, and while Murphy might be what moves the needle, I’d start with Stewart.
Yes, Miami needs draft capital, but when you look at this team, they can’t rely exclusively on the draft to fill every major need they have. With Stewart, they’ll get a player who can eventually develop into a solid piece while also adding a top-100 pick to their current allotment of draft picks in 2027.
A mock Denver Broncos trade for Jordyn Brooks
This is probably the most appealing option for the Dolphins, simply because it offers the best pick in next year’s draft. Denver needs interior linebacker help badly, and there’s no way they let a second-round draft pick get in the way of returning to the AFC Championship Game and avenging last year’s loss to the New England Patriots. I think the Broncos would benefit more from someone a bit more dynamic in coverage, but Brooks isn’t a bad player to land, especially when you look at what other options Denver has at this point in the offseason.
Denver’s defense is nearly bulletproof with Nik Bonitto off the edge and Pat Surtain II in the secondary. They retained all the major pieces from last year’s excellent unit, and adding Brooks would give them the firepower to field one of the best defenses in the league again in 2026. They had a top-five run defense in 2025 and a top-10 pass defense. Adding Brooks just makes them that much more dangerous, and parting ways with a second-round pick is worth it to maximize this core.
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