The 2026 Miami Dolphins might be in the middle of the most obvious rebuild in recent NFL history. They have moved on from almost every veteran star on the roster, hitting a hard reset to get out from under the salary cap burden imposed by the previous regime.
The roster overhaul reached its peak when wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos. With Waddle out the door, only two veteran stars remain on the roster: running back De'Von Achane and linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
There has been plenty of trade chatter about both players, but it seems like general manager Jon Eric Sullivan intends to hang onto them. It's not hard to see why he wants to keep Achane. He's an explosive back capable of being the engine of a productive offense, and he's still relatively young.
Keeping Brooks around is less defensible. The 28-year-old linebacker, coming off a career year, is at the peak of his trade value. If the Dolphins don't move him soon, they'll risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the year.
Miami Dolphins' Jordyn Brooks trade may be now or never
In a recent article, Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski laid out the remaining offseason tasks each NFL team should accomplish before Week 1. For the Dolphins, he listed adding a veteran receiver, solidifying the right side of the offensive line, and trading Brooks away.
Sobleski said, "The Dolphins can trade [Brooks] and capitalize now instead of waiting for him to leave later."
Brooks is coming off an All-Pro campaign in which he led the NFL in tackles. He was the anchor of the Dolphins' defense, keeping the unit from devolving into a complete disaster. The veteran has surpassed 100 total tackles in each of his two seasons with the Dolphins.
Teams don't typically trade away significant draft capital to acquire a linebacker, but the most productive linebacker in the NFL isn't typically available. There isn't a true comparison for what a deal for Brooks would look like. Linebackers like Dee Winters and Ernest Jones have been dealt for fifth-round picks, but Brooks is far more valuable than both players.
The Dolphins would likely want a Day Two draft pick in exchange for their All-Pro linebacker. That kind of draft capital could help them fully reset the roster and build through the 2027 NFL Draft. If another team is willing to pay up, this trade should be a no-brainer.
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