The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason with a glaring hole at middle linebacker. After aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful pursuits in free agency and the trade market, one name continues to stand out as the most sensible—and achievable—solution: Jordyn Brooks.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer already knows exactly what Brooks brings to the table. Brooks was drafted by the Seahawks during Schottenheimer’s tenure as offensive coordinator in Seattle, giving the new Dallas head coach first-hand familiarity with the linebacker’s game.

The Cowboys made serious runs at top middle linebackers last month. They bid on Devin Lloyd, the premier free-agent middle linebacker, only to see the Panthers lock him up with a hefty three-year, $45 million contract that Dallas chose not to match. They also made strong offers for Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, but the pair elected to stay together and signed with the Raiders. Trade discussions heated up as well, including talks for Pittsburgh’s Patrick Queen. Beat writer Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the Cowboys had engaged in trade conversations for both Jordyn Brooks of the Dolphins and Azeez Al-Shaair of the Texans. A subsequent report in the Miami Herald confirmed that Dallas did, in fact, call Miami about a deal for Brooks.

While the Cowboys are still expected to address the position in the upcoming draft—whether by trading up for a top prospect like Sonny Styles or targeting players such as CJ Allen (Georgia), Anthony Hill (Texas), or Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) at No. 20 or later—they will still need a proven veteran presence. That is where Brooks fits perfectly.

Dave Helman of The Athletic laid out the clearest and most compelling blueprint on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas: the Cowboys should open their draft-week moves by sending their third-round pick (No. 92, acquired from the 49ers in the Osa Odighizuwa trade) to Miami for Brooks. Helman didn’t mince words:

“We’re sending 92 to Miami for Jordyn Brooks. That’s No. 1. Like, let’s just get that out of the way. If we gotta throw in some change, that’s fine. Let’s go get a ready-made badass. Jordyn Brooks was so good for Miami last year. They’re obviously resetting things, they don’t need him right now. Send 92 over there, throw in some extra change, get him locked up on an extension, now we’re cooking with gas.”

The numbers back the hype. Last season Pro Football Focus rated Brooks the third-best run-stopping linebacker in the entire NFL. He led the league with 99 solo tackles and 183 combined tackles. Durability is not a concern—he appeared in 83 games over the last three seasons. At a time when the Cowboys are focused on building a defensive front capable of shutting down the run, Brooks is the exact type of physical, instinctive player who can anchor the second level.

There is one potential caveat: Brooks is more of a roaming, sideline-to-sideline playmaker than the traditional “green-dot” communicator many teams prefer at middle linebacker. Yet his run-stopping dominance and tackle production more than compensate, especially in a scheme that values aggression and athleticism up front.

The timing could hardly be better for Dallas. The Dolphins are in full rebuild mode, aggressively accumulating draft capital and willing to move veterans. Brooks is entering the final year of his contract with a $10.8 million cap hit in 2026. Should Dallas secure an extension as part of the deal, they could restructure his number favorably for the current season while locking up a cornerstone defender long-term.

Offenses around the league already knew the name Jordyn Brooks. Now, with the Cowboys reportedly having serious interest and a clear path outlined by one of the most plugged-in voices in Dallas media, that name is about to become a weekly nightmare inside AT&T Stadium. The wall has a name—and it just might be headed to Dallas.