The Cowboys’ trade chatter is heating up again, and Stephen Jones helped fan the flames on Friday.
Dallas’ executive vice president said to expect changes to the defensive starting lineup and pointed out that some older players still have tread on the tires. That was enough to send the speculation machine spinning, with veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner quickly surfacing as a possible target.
Wagner would fit a clear need, and he’s coming off another strong season. But Cowboys insider Bryan Broaddus thinks Dallas may be aiming higher.
"I think they're looking bigger than Bobby Wagner. That's what I would tell you guys," Broaddus said while speaking on 105.3 The Fan.
Broaddus didn’t stop there. He said the Cowboys could be after a "bigger fish," and made it clear he believes Miami still has linebacker Jordyn Brooks available if the right deal comes along.
"I think they're going for a bigger fish. Big fish.
Yeah, and please take the word fish in mind here when I say this. But, yeah, I think they've got a linebacker in mind," Broaddus said.
That idea runs into the obvious obstacle: Brooks just signed a new three-year extension with Miami right before training camp. Cowboys On SI writer Mike Moraitis had argued that the deal, worth $51.3 million with $35 million guaranteed, effectively removed any trade possibility.
Broaddus disagrees. He said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has given the team the freedom to take on some dead cap as Miami reshapes its roster around younger players. He also noted that the Dolphins have already started that process at linebacker, drafting Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis in the 2026 NFL draft.
Earlier, I wrote that Brooks’ extension and those draft picks could have opened a path for Tyrel Dodson to wind up in Dallas. Dodson doesn’t bring Brooks’ level of impact, but he is a trusted starter with middle linebacker experience and has served as the green dot communicator on defense.
Still, the latest comments from Stephen Jones point to Dallas wanting more than a modest move. Broaddus believes the Cowboys may be swinging for something even bigger than Wagner, which would make Brooks the kind of name that fits the buzz. The real question is whether Miami would actually move him only weeks after giving him a new contract.
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