After the preseason, Dallas had reasons to feel encouraged about its linebacker room. Jaishawn Barham flashed enough to look like a real NFL piece, and even as a third-round pick, he seems capable of pushing for a starting job sooner rather than later.
The Cowboys also have DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters, two players they trust. The issue comes after that. The depth behind those top three is shaky, and that makes linebacker a spot Dallas could easily target before Week 1.
Now the answer they may have been waiting for has come available.
On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins announced they are releasing linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Because he is a vested veteran, he will hit free agency immediately.
Dallas has been tied to Miami linebackers all offseason, with Jordyn Brooks drawing the most attention. But once Brooks signed an extension, Dodson became a realistic name to watch. He may not bring the same buzz as Brooks, but he just turned in a huge season in 2025, finishing with 129 tackles and a career-best five sacks.
His PFF grade was 55.3 overall, but the run defense and pass-rush numbers were stronger, with marks of 66.1 against the run and 66.2 as a pass rusher.
Dodson entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills out of Texas A&M in 2019. He is now heading into his eighth NFL season and has 43 starts in 92 games, the kind of experience Dallas does not currently have in its linebacker room. That alone makes him look like a clean fit if the Cowboys decide to move.
Miami’s decision wasn’t a surprise. The Dolphins were expected to part with one of their veteran linebackers after their moves in the 2026 NFL draft. They used a second-round pick on Jacob Rodriguez, who is expected to start as a rookie, then added Trey Moore and Kyle Louis in Round 4.
Once Jordyn Brooks was signed, Miami’s direction became clear: let the younger group grow with Brooks as the veteran presence. That pushed Dodson out, and it may have just opened the door for Dallas.
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Cowboys' First Roster Cuts Already Created One Tough Fringe Decision
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For Dallas, the move is part of the normal late-August churn, but Petes case stands out because he brought both promise and visibility to the back end of the roster battle. He is eligible to come back on the practice squad if he clears waivers, which leaves at least one more chapter in play even as the Cowboys continue reshaping the depth chart before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]