Cowboys failed to pull off blockbuster trade for Dolphins' $26 million All-Pro defender, per report

The Dallas Cowboys’ linebacking core was undoubtedly among its weakest units entering the 2026 NFL Draft. 

To the NFC franchise’s credit, it addressed its noticeable defensive issue on Friday night by trading for former San Francisco LB Dee Winters. While the Cowboys settled on the 101-tackle LB, ESPN’s Todd Archer and Nick Wagoner reported that the franchise attempted to pull off a trade for the Miami Dolphins’ 6-foot-11 All-Pro defender before acquiring Winters. 

Obviously, a deal never materialized, though.

“The Dallas Cowboys acquired linebacker Dee Winters from the San Francisco 49ers on Friday for pick No. 152 in the fifth round of the NFL draft,” Archer and Wagoner wrote.

“The Cowboys searched for a middle linebacker in free agency but were unable to land Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd, or Nakobe Dean. The Cowboys had trade discussions with several teams, including the Houston Texans for Azeez Al-Shaair and Miami Dolphins for Jordyn Brooks, sources said, but what those teams wanted in return was too much.”

Brooks’ elite tackling chops, improvisational skills, impressive production as a blitzer, and top-tier run-stopping instincts would have made him a seamless fit with the Cowboys in 2026-27 and beyond. 

Brooks recorded 183 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble to go along with a 92.0 PFF run-defense grade with the Dolphins last season. That said, Winters, who’s coming off a breakout season with the 49ers (101 tackles and one interception), should find instant success with Dallas, justifying the organization’s decision to trade for him during the draft.

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