So, about that quiet offseason? You had a feeling that Jerry Jones had something special planned for Tuesday's press conference, but did anyone expect him to say he was on the phone with another team about a "substantive" trade 24 hours before he took the stage in Oxnard?
Following that, and Jones' admission that he never lost interest in Maxx Crosby, everyone's been playing matchmaker with pass rushers the Cowboys could target.
As it turns out, linebacker is part of the equation. Ever loaded up with Cowboys scoops, former team scout Bryan Broaddus believes that Jordyn Brooks is still in play for Dallas even though he just signed a massive extension with the Miami Dolphins.
"I think they're going for a bigger fish (than Bobby Wagner)," Broaddus told 105.3 The Fan. "... I think they've got a linebacker in mind. The team I think you need to focus on is Miami ... I'm kind of getting whispers from Miami that maybe Miami is realizing that they're not gonna be very good ..."
Cowboys insider connects Dallas to Jordyn Brooks trade despite his Dolphins extension
If you shelved your Brooks expectations, it might be time to dust them off.
In fairness, who could blame you? Brooks just re-upped with the Dolphins on a three-year, $51.3 million deal that includes $35 million guaranteed. At $17.1 million per year, he's now tied for the fifth-highest annual salary among off-ball linebackers, per Over The Cap.
Brooks has been on Dallas' radar since earlier this offseason. It's unclear how far trade talks with Miami progressed, if they progressed at all, but the interest was not fabricated.
Before you laugh off the idea, it's absolutely doable. Here's a look at Brooks' base salaries for the next handful of years (via OTC):
Year | Base salary |
|---|---|
2026 | $1.21 million |
2027 | $12.57 million |
2028 | $13.82 million |
2029 | $13.25 million |
FOLKS.
That adds up to around $27 million for three seasons. That's excellent value. Furthermore, Brooks' highest cap hit over the duration of his contract is $19.17 million. And he'll count just $6.16 million against the cap this upcoming season. That's nothing.
Jordyn Brooks' Dolphins contract is very attainable for the Cowboys
And that's not all. The Dolphins would only inherit $4.9 million in dead money if they dealt him, making a trade extremely feasible.
The elephant in the room is why Miami would extend Brooks just to trade him. Teams generally don't hand out lucrative extensions with the intention of moving a player. It's very rare. However, a newly extended player can become more valuable on the trade market because an acquiring team gets years of contractual control rather than a looming free agent.
It's devious, but it's not unheard of.
Now that Brooks is locked into a long-term deal, the Dolphins may be able to get what they're looking for. That might mean Dallas surrendering a second- or third-round pick. That's a hefty price to pay, but adding a top-five linebacker to this defense would have Cowboys fans dreaming a little bigger than just an NFC East title.
Add us as a preferred source on Google