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Just last month, head coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged that the Dallas Cowboys are “comfortable” with where they stand at linebacker. And while Jerry Jones addressed the position this offseason, it still raises a question: with linebacker remaining the biggest need in Christian Parker’s defense, should Dallas add another veteran before training camp?

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ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently broke down the final offseason moves all 32 teams could make this offseason, and noted that the Miami Dolphins have linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who’s entering the final year of his deal. And considering Miami is undergoing a major rebuild, the franchise should trade Brooks to a team with a need at linebacker in exchange for significant compensation.

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“Brooks was a first-team All-Pro linebacker last season, leading the league with 183 total tackles and adding 3.5 sacks as a blitzer,” Schatz wrote. “He would be a useful addition for a team with a contending-quality offense but also a need at linebacker, perhaps the Bengals or Cowboys.”

After spending four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, where he recorded over 500 tackles, Brooks joined the Dolphins ahead of the 2024 season. The veteran linebacker recorded 143 tackles in his first year in Miami and led the league in tackles with 183 in 2025, while also earning his maiden First-Team All-Pro nod.

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In 2026, however, he’s entering the final season of his three-year, $26.3 million contract that he signed in 2024. And considering the Dolphins have parted ways with multiple high-profile players like Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle amid a rebuild, Miami could get something in return if they decide to trade Brooks. And keeping the needs at the LB position in mind, Schatz named the Cowboys as one of the contenders.

The Cowboys’ LB room was struggling last season, with the biggest issue pointing to DeMarvion Overshown’s health struggles. He still hasn’t played a full season for Dallas after getting drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. His tenure in Dallas is not without injuries. The LB underwent a major surgery in his rookie year after a left knee ACL tear during the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. Then he suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL injury in week 14 of the 2024 season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Last year, he only played six games.

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At the same time, rookie Shemar James led the Cowboys in tackles with 91, followed by Kenneth Murray with 81, and Jack Sanborn with 34 tackles. But James is only entering the second season of his career. Murray is a free agent. Sanborn, meanwhile, has left Dallas for Chicago in free agency.

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Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report also reported a similar pitch, where the Cowboys are a seemingly good match for Brooks. According to him, the Dolphins can send Jordyn Brooks and a 2028 fifth-round pick to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fourth-round pick.

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“It has been a dizzying offseason of player moves for the Miami Dolphins, who have cut or traded multiple big names,” Davenport noted. “Enter the Dallas Cowboys. They have been wildly aggressive trying to bolster a defense that was the NFL’s worst last year.

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“There are two new edge-rushers in veteran Rashan Gary and rookie Malachi Lawrence, two new starters at safety, and a new linebacker in Dee Winters. However, while Winters is a capable pro, he’s not the same caliber of player Brooks is. The Cowboys are perpetually all-in on a Super Bowl run—trading for Brooks would be a nice finish to the team’s defensive makeover.”

While the Cowboys have added Dee Winters via trade during the 2026 NFL draft and selected the former Michigan star Jaishawn Barham in the third round, the franchise still lacks experience. For instance, Winters spent his career behind Fred Warner with the San Francisco 49ers. Barham, meanwhile, will reportedly be asked to play as an inside linebacker after playing edge rusher in Michigan.

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With training camp approaching, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Christian Parker have a major concern about who’s going to be the green dot.

“The biggest thing I wanna say about that is we’re going to train so many people in the green dot, that we’re going to find out who’s comfortable doing it,” Schottenheimer said last month. “It might be [DeMarvion Overshown]. It might be Jalen Thompson. It might be Dee Winters. It might be whoever.”

With Overshown expected to play his first full season back in Dallas, an inexperienced linebacker room, and the team yet to decide on the green dot, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest that the Cowboys could consider adding another veteran linebacker to the roster.

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Keshav Pareek

2,245 Articles

Keshav Pareek is a Senior NFL Features Writer at EssentiallySports, where he has covered two action-packed football seasons. He also contributes to the ES Behind the Scenes series, spotlighting the lives of top NFL stars off the field. Keshav is known for weaving humor into serious sports writing and connecting with readers by tapping into the emotional heart of the game. He’s particularly fascinated by the NFL Draft’s “Green Room” drama and remains puzzled by Shedeur Sanders’ unexpected draft slide, an outcome he calls downright baffling. With a fresh wave of breakout talent on the horizon, Keshav is primed for another thrilling season. A lifelong NFL fan, Keshav closely follows quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, drawing inspiration from their leadership and playmaking ability in his coverage. He brings a mix of sharp analysis and narrative storytelling to every story, providing readers with a compelling view of the league both on and off the field.

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Antra Koul

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