Recent comments from Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have fueled speculation that the Dallas Cowboys may be preparing for a blockbuster trade.
One name that has been floated in the conversation is Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and the rumored possibility has sparked heavy reactions across the NFL community.
What the NFL World Has to Say About Jordyn Brooks to Cowboys Trade Rumor
Veteran Dallas reporter Bryan Broaddus suggested fans should “keep an eye on” Brooks as a potential trade target for Dallas, despite his recent long-term commitment to the Dolphins. The Dolphins signed him to a three-year, $51.3 million contract extension earlier this offseason, including $35 million in guaranteed money.
The deal makes the 2025 First-Team All-Pro the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid inside linebacker by both total contract value and average annual salary. While the new extension seems to secure his future with the Dolphins through the next three seasons, Broaddus believes the Cowboys could still have interest in acquiring him as training camp progresses.
The NFL community was quick to share their reactions to the discussion.
“Makes a lot of sense. This is the train many should be on, and let that other ship sail,” one wrote.
makes alot of sense
this the train many should be on, and let that other ship sail…. https://t.co/trhUWocFJt— #demstarzndabuildn✭ (@Millslelone) July 31, 2026
“[Coping harder than I’ve coped in years] extending him in July to make him easier to acquire and improve his trade value? It’s so inspired, so devious, yet so simple,” The Athletic’s Dave Helman wrote.
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Miami would absorb roughly $4.95 million in dead money in 2026 and $15.63 million in 2027 if it deals Brooks away, per Spotrac numbers. However, his cap hit for a new team in 2026 would be relatively manageable, which is why “The Draft Show” host Nick Harris suggested Brooks’ Miami extension could actually make a trade more feasible.
“Purely speculating, but it could be a situation of the trade market not being good enough pre-contract to where now, with the contract done, they can get what they’re hoping for,” Harris noted.
Purely speculating, but it could be a situation of the trade market not being good enough pre-contract to where now with the contract done, they can get what they’re hoping for.
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 31, 2026
“The Cowboys would be roughly paying Brooks $27M over three years. Would be a fantastic contract. But my guess is that it would cost them a Day 2 pick to get that deal done,” Marcus Mosher of “Locked on Cowboys” wrote.
However, not everyone is convinced, and that camp includes analyst Tom Downey.
“Wouldn’t really make any sense for Miami to trade Jordyn Brooks when they literally just gave him a new deal. It’s *technically* possible but they would have also turned $8M in dead money into over $20M for no reason,” Downey wrote.
Brooks remained fully engaged with the Dolphins and participated in all of the team’s spring practices throughout his contract negotiations, which says a lot about his commitment to the team.
Meanwhile, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan also publicly identified Brooks as one of the franchise’s three foundational players, alongside running back De’Von Achane and center Aaron Brewer. So, it will be interesting to see if the Cowboys can break this loyalty and land Brooks.
Brooks is coming off an outstanding 2025 season in which he recorded 183 combined tackles and 99 solo tackles, finishing at No. 9 in PFN’s LB Impact metric. If Dallas were somehow able to acquire him, he would represent a huge upgrade to the Cowboys’ defense.
