Sports

Broncos' hopes of trading for major defensive upgrade vaporized in an instant

Predominantly Orange · Jul 21, 2026 17:00 · 3 min read

Broncos' hopes of trading for major defensive upgrade vaporized in an instant — Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Denver Broncos' hopes of possibly trading for another major defensive upgrade in 2026 just vaporized in an instant with the Dolphins' latest extension.

Apparently, the Miami Dolphins aren't letting go of everybody...

The Denver Broncos struck a blockbuster trade with the Dolphins back in March to acquire star receiver Jaylen Waddle, whose presence on the offense is one of the most anticipated additions around the entire NFL in the 2026 season. Considering the number of deals GM George Paton has made with the Dolphins in recent years, there was at least a sliver of hope that the Broncos might be able to get one more player off of Miami's hands as they prepare for a rebuilding year.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks has been brought up numerous times throughout the offseason as a potential trade candidate, but the Dolphins had other plans in mind. In fact, it's the opposite of dumping the All-Pro linebacker to the highest bidder. According to reports, the Dolphins have extended Brooks with a new 3-year deal worth $51.3 million in total money.

If the Broncos had any hope whatsoever of trading for Brooks -- whether before the season or during it -- those hopes are officially vaporized.

Jordyn Brooks won't be a Denver Broncos trade target after Dolphins extension

The idea of trading for Brooks is something we've discussed on multiple occasions recently, and it's an idea that had plenty of merit.

Brooks is coming off of the first All-Pro season of his NFL career with 183 total tackles and 13 tackles for loss. The type of physicality he brings to the position would be welcomed in Denver's defense, but the more time passes, the more it's becoming clear that the team is somehow satisfied with what it has at the linebacker position.

The Broncos indicated the exact opposite in the 2025 offseason when they went out and signed Dre Greenlaw in free agency, a substantial move to upgrade over the situation they are currently rolling with -- Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad -- in a season with Super Bowl aspirations.

It's a decision that they might quickly regret if there are any deviations or injuries early on in training camp.

Even if some fans have been holding out hope for a trade like this to really push the chips all in before the season, it feels like the Broncos don't share the viewpoint of many in the fan base (and even the media) when it comes to the linebacker position.

Part of the issue with Dre Greenlaw last season was how complicated the defense was for him to grasp. He compared it to trying to learn Spanish after the season was over.

The team has instead opted for two players -- Singleton and Strnad -- who know the defense extremely well and don't have issues grasping it, even if it comes at the expense of a potential talent upgrade. That's the tension right now with the team's stance versus the fan base's stance.

The Broncos told everyone during the 2025 offseason that they needed a talent upgrade at linebacker when they signed Greenlaw. To bring back the two guys you just said you needed a talent upgrade over, and not add any competition for them, is at least a little uninspiring.

But the issue with the option of trading for someone like Brooks is that the Broncos wouldn't be acquiring him for depth, they would be acquiring him to start. That simply isn't happening at this juncture. The best chance -- previously, anyway -- of the Broncos adding a player like Brooks would have been during the season. Now, that option doesn't exist.

If the Broncos are going to upgrade at the linebacker position, it's likely going to be a reclamation project or waiver claim, and probably not the type of player who is going to truly contend with either Singleton or Strnad for snaps anytime soon.

What Brooks represented, before he signed his contract extension with Miami, was the possibility of a talent upgrade for one of the league's best defenses. Now, we don't have to wonder whether or not it's going to happen, even if it felt like a longshot in the first place.