The Dallas Cowboys made a swift move on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, trading for linebacker Dee Winters without waiting for their original third-round slot, a decision that underscores their urgency to address a position group long identified as a need.
The trade with the San Francisco 49ers sent the 152nd overall pick — a fifth-round selection — to San Francisco in exchange for Winters, a 25-year-old linebacker who began his NFL career as a sixth-round pick by the 49ers in 2023 after a standout collegiate career at TCU, where he earned First-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022. The deal marks the second transaction between the two clubs in just a few weeks, following an earlier swap that sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco for the very draft pick now used to acquire Winters.
For the Cowboys, the acquisition brings a Texas native back home. Winters was born in Brenham and attended Burton High School in South Texas, giving Dallas both familiarity and a potential cultural fit as they attempt to revitalize a linebacker room that has lacked consistency. He joins fellow Texan DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James in a unit overseen by defensive coordinator Christian Parker and position coach Scott Symons, who will be tasked with integrating Winters into a scheme that has struggled to find stability at the position.
The move comes amid a flurry of activity for Dallas, which had already traded up one spot to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs — surrendering two 2026 fifth-round picks in the process — and later traded down with the Philadelphia Eagles to select UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at 23rd gaining two additional fourth-round picks in return. These maneuvers suggest a front office willing to trade future capital for immediate roster clarity, even as they navigate a draft without a second-round selection.
From the 49ers’ perspective, the trade was part of a broader strategy to maneuver through the draft’s middle rounds. After acquiring the 152nd pick from Dallas, San Francisco immediately dealt it — along with their original 58th overall selection — to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the 70th and 107th picks. This effectively moved San Francisco down 12 spots in the second round but up 45 spots from the fifth to the fourth round, a net gain in draft capital that left them with eight total selections, five of which came on Day 3.
Winters had become a steady presence for San Francisco over the past two seasons, starting 10 games in 2024 as a fill-in for the injured Dre Greenlaw and then starting all 17 games in 2025, during which he led the team with 101 tackles. His departure leaves the 49ers relying on a group that includes Nick Martin, a third-round pick from 2024; Tatum Bethune, who stepped into the middle linebacker role when Fred Warner was injured; and Luke Gifford, a special teams contributor who earned a Pro Bowl selection and also started nine games at strong-side linebacker.
The decision to move on from Winters appears tied to the 49ers’ gamble on Greenlaw’s health. After signing a three-year, $35 million deal with the Denver Broncos in 2025, Greenlaw was released in March due to lingering quad and hamstring issues. Three days later, San Francisco re-signed him to a one-year, $7.5 million contract, a move pursued aggressively by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, who flew to Texas in March to personally appeal to him. Warner, Greenlaw’s close friend and teammate, described the reunion as deeply meaningful, saying he “couldn’t wipe the grin off my face” when Greenlaw told him the news over FaceTime.
The trade reveals contrasting philosophies: Dallas is betting on a known commodity with local roots and starting experience, even as San Francisco is trading continuity for flexibility, wagering that a reunited linebacker corps — anchored by Warner and a returning Greenlaw — can regain the form that made them one of the league’s most feared defensive units just a few years ago. For Winters, the return to Texas offers both a professional reset and a personal homecoming, though his long-term role in Dallas will depend on how quickly he can adapt to a new system and earn trust in a room still searching for its identity.
Why did the Cowboys trade for Dee Wells instead of waiting for their original draft pick?
The Cowboys opted to act immediately due to the fact that they were unwilling to pass on the opportunity to address a pressing need at linebacker, especially given their lack of a second-round pick and the urgency they’ve felt since free agency began to stabilize the position group.
What did the 49ers gain from trading Dee Winters?
The 49ers received a fifth-round pick (No. 152) from Dallas, which they immediately traded — along with their second-round pick (No. 58) — to the Browns for a third-round pick (No. 70) and a fourth-round pick (No. 107), increasing their total draft capital and selecting earlier on Day 3 than they otherwise would have.