Bengals’ pipe dream of addressing their biggest need was just emphatically snuffed out
The Cincinnati Bengals will officially not be trading for linebacker Jordyn Brooks. That much is now certain after the Miami Dolphins locked up their star defender with a three-year, $51.3 million new contract.
The Cincinnati Bengals will officially not be trading for linebacker Jordyn Brooks. That much is now certain after the Miami Dolphins locked up their star defender with a three-year, $51.3 million new contract, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Brooks led the NFL in tackles last season with 183 and earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. He is now one of the highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the league and, more importantly, no longer even an unrealistic option to help Cincinnati fix one of its weakest positions.
Why Bengals fans thought trading for Jordyn Brooks was possible
The Dolphins underwent a total regime change this offseason, bringing in a new general manager and head coach. What followed looked like a fire sale. Miami released Bradley Chubb and Tyreek Hill. Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos. A full reset was underway, and plenty of Bengals fans figured Cincinnati could take advantage.
Brooks was coming off the best season of his career, squarely in his prime, but the Dolphins’ willingness to clear cap space and acquire assets made Brooks a subject of conversation. Had he been available for trade, the Bengals could’ve filled the middle of their revamped defense with a game-changer.
Cincinnati struck out on finding upgrades over Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. in both free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. The Bengals are set to enter training camp with those two leading the position. Brooks would have been a massive upgrade over either and would have put an exclamation point on one of the best offseasons in franchise history.
The dream got carried away, and it’s easy to see why
I think fans let themselves get swept up in this because the Bengals proved they’re willing to make blockbuster trades when the opportunity is right. The Dexter Lawrence trade proved that. Cincinnati’s front office showed a level of aggression that hadn’t been the norm, and it opened the door for fans to dream bigger.
But according to reports, Miami was never going to dangle Brooks in trade talks. This was the Dolphins’ plan all along, and both sides got something done leading up to the start of training camp.
A successful trade for Brooks was always incredibly unlikely. Kris Jenkins Jr. was floated as a potential piece heading back to Miami. Even a mid-round pick was considered by some, and I thought several months ago that could have been enough to get a deal done. This extension proves the Dolphins never envisioned letting Brooks out of their grasp, especially for a meager price.
If the Bengals want to upgrade their linebacking corps, it will most likely have to be a player who doesn’t hold a candle to Brooks’ ability. Carter and Knight remain the starters heading into camp, and Cincinnati will need both of them to take significant steps forward for this defense to reach its ceiling.
The Brooks dream was always a long shot. Now it’s officially over.