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The New York Jets are watching the division rival Miami Dolphins go through the same exact process they did in Aaron Glenn's debut season last campaign. New coach Jeff Hafley is likely going to take some losses on the chin in 2026 as he tears the roster down to the studs and takes a flier on an unproven quarterback. The team decided to keep All-Pro linebacker Jordyn Brooks, however.
The Dolphins signed Brooks to a three-year contract that will pay him $17 million per season. Brooks' deal exceeds what the Jets gave to Jamien Sherwood last year. Sherwood's $45 million contract is aging poorly due to his down season in 2025, and the Dolphins may get a crash course in that lesson right away.
Paying certain players from an old regime is not a bad idea; Garrett Wilson proves this. However, splashing the cash for a near record-setting linebacker in Year 1 has set the Jets back. Miami could be in a similar hole if Brooks doesn't replicate his 2025 performance.
Dolphins will learn Jets' Jamien Sherwood lesson after Jordyn Brooks extension
To be perfectly clear, Brooks is a much better player than Sherwood. Not only is he a former first-round pick with years of starting experience, but he is much better at covering in the open field and delivering some wood as a hitter. However, that doesn't change the fact that Miami's allocation of resources may not be ideal.
Of all the positions to commit to, the Dolphins' big investments have been an inside linebacker with volatile production, a running back who could still end up in trade rumors in De'Von Achane, and a center who hasn't proven to be a Pro Bowl talent in Aaron Brewer. Is that where the first big extensions should be handed out?
The Dolphins seem to be of the mindset that Brooks can give them a minimum viable product from which they can reinforce the rest of the roster. The Jets may have thought that when extending Sauce Gardner, but their decision to move him and Quinnen Williams has helped them get six first-round picks in a two-year span.
The Dolphins may get better returns out of Brooks than the Jets do from Sherwood, but if the defense stagnates under Hafley in his first season in town, they could look to their decision to hand Brooks top money as one of the reasons this team is lacking in overall quality.
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This article was originally published on thejetpress.com as Dolphins will soon learn harsh Jets LB lesson after Jordyn Brooks contract.
