It has long been one of the back-pocket hopes of the offseason for fans and observers of the Dallas Cowboys, that somehow, the team would step in and make a deal to bring in another middle linebacker after mostly striking out on the top targets this spring. The middle of the Cowboys’ defense was a disaster for the past two seasons as the team tried temporary Band-Aid approaches to address the area, but did appear set on trying to get a more permanent solution by making offers to stars like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd.
The Cowboys came up short on all three in free agency, and wound up trading for Dee Winters (sending out a fifth-rounder) during the draft, leaving the defense with Winters and oft-injured DeMarvion Overshown as the primary linebackers. But there have been rumors and hope that there would be another trade in the offing.
That was the rumor throughout the offseason, and one of the big targets–a player the Cowboys did discuss with his current team, the Dolphins, according to multiple reports–was All-Pro Jordyn Brooks, who led the NFL with 183 tackles last season.
Jordyn Brooks Agrees to Extension With Dolphins
Alas, it appears the Dolphins’ interest in trading away Brooks has come and gone, unfortunate as that might be for the Cowboys. Miami has awarded Brooks a three-year contract extension, according to insider Jordan Schultz.
As Schultz wrote on Twitter/X: “Sources: The #Dolphins and All-Pro LB Jordyn Brooks have agreed to a 3-year, $51.3M extension with $35M guaranteed in a deal done by @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports. Brooks led the NFL in tackles last season with 183, earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He’s been identified as a core piece of Jeff Hafley’s new defense.”
Cowboys Depth Chart Is Thin
And so the Cowboys move forward without Jordyn Brooks and with their current depth chart at linebacker sitting at Overshown and Winters, with rookie Jaishawn Barham and Shemar James behind them. It’s a thin group, at best, with Winters only having one season as a starter under his belt with the 49ers (who were willing to give him up for a fifth-round pick) and with Overshown having had a career devastated by injuries thus far.
Barham is a hybrid linebacker, and could be an interesting prospect, but might need time to develop. James was part of the rotation last year, and was rated the No. 84 linebacker out of 88 total by Pro Football Focus.
Dee Winters Figures to Be a Cowboys Key
Overshown will need to stay healthy for the Cowboys linebackers, that much is a given–he has shown flashes of ball-hunting prowess when he is healthy, but he’s played just 19 games in three seasons. But the wildcard may be Winters, who the Cowboys think will fit new coordinator Christian Parker’s system well.
“I think No. 1 you feel his athleticism, you feel his intensity to the football,” Parker said in May. “He’s a really good space player. He can really evaporate space whether that ball is thrown or on check downs running from C gap to C gap or A gap to C gap or whatever it might be. You just see this intensity and really good angles that he plays with and he’s violent. We encourage that.
“We think he’s going to have a good transition, kinda getting started working with him and we’ll see how it goes.”
Cowboys Finally Miss Out on All-Pro Rumored Trade Target