Dee Winters 49ers Trade Sends Linebacker to Cowboys in Draft Move
FRISCO, Texas — dee winters 49ers became the focal point of a draft-day move on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, as the Dallas Cowboys struck a trade with San Francisco for linebacker Dee Winters. The Cowboys made the deal in Frisco after entering the day without a second-round pick and before waiting to go on the clock with the 92nd overall selection in the third round. Dallas sent the 152nd-overall pick, a fifth-round choice in 2026, to the 49ers in exchange for Winters.
Dee Winters 49ers trade fills a Cowboys need
The move gives Dallas a direct answer at linebacker, a spot the team had been trying to address since the start of free agency. It also extends a busy stretch of business between the two clubs, coming only weeks after the Cowboys sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to Santa Clara in exchange for the third-round pick that helped set up this draft position. For Dallas, the deal reflects urgency and timing as the team works through a roster reset on defense.
Winters is 25 and arrives with a specific background that Dallas believes it can use. He was a sixth-round pick by San Francisco in 2023 after earning First-team All-Big 12 honors at TCU in 2022. The Cowboys had extra exposure to him through his college career in Texas, and the trade also brings him closer to home; Winters is a Brenham, Texas native who attended Burton High School in South Texas.
What Winters brings to Dallas
Winters joins a linebacker group that includes DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James as the Cowboys try to change the outlook in 2026. Christian Parker is in place as defensive coordinator, while Scott Symons is coaching the linebackers directly. The front office appears to be looking for stability, depth, and competition in a room that has been a clear target for improvement.
The broader picture is straightforward: Dallas did not want to leave the position unresolved while the draft moved on. The dee winters 49ers trade gives the Cowboys another body with starting experience and a player they already studied closely in the pre-draft process.
Immediate reactions around the move
The most concrete evaluation comes from the football situation itself. The Cowboys had a need at linebacker entering the draft, and Winters’ arrival offers insurance if the team does not land its preferred option over the next two days. The 49ers, meanwhile, received the fifth-round pick in return and closed out the transaction on a day when both teams were active in shaping their draft plans.
Winters’ profile is built on production and experience. In 2025, he posted 101 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits, while his 2024 coverage grade ranked fourth among linebackers at 80. 0. The available numbers suggest a player who can help in coverage and provide dependable depth right away.
Quick context and what comes next
This is the latest sign that Dallas is treating the linebacker spot as a live issue throughout draft weekend. It also fits a broader stretch of roster movement as the Cowboys continue reshaping the defense. The dee winters 49ers trade does not solve every question in the room, but it does give the team a usable piece while the draft continues to unfold.
What happens next will depend on whether Dallas makes further additions at the position or chooses to lean on the current group. For now, the Cowboys have acted quickly, and the dee winters 49ers move gives them a clearer path heading deeper into the draft.
