The 49ers selected Nick Martin in Round 3 of the draft, which isn't a good sign for Dee Winters' future.
The San Francisco 49ers made it seem as if they were comfortable with now third-year pro linebacker Dee Winters entering 2025 and after the gut-punching free-agent loss of star backer Dre Greenlaw to the Denver Broncos earlier in the offseason.
General manager John Lynch told reporters Winters was first in line to replace Greenlaw alongside All-Pro Fred Warner, and even Warner previously chimed about the 2023 draftee's maturation heading into 2024.
Indeed, Winters appeared in 15 games, starting 10 of them after Greenlaw suffered a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl the previous February.
But, in light of just how bad the Niners' linebacking situation was in 2024 sans Greenlaw, it was safe to assume Winters wasn't guaranteed a starting job heading into coordinator Robert Saleh's second tenure in the Bay Area.
In Round 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, San Francisco made that more than apparent.
49ers' selection of Nick Martin endangers Dee Winters' future
The 49ers focused entirely on the defensive side of the ball early in the draft, grabbing two defensive linemen in Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins in Rounds 1 and 2, respectively.
Then, in the third round at No. 75 overall, the Niners opted to take Oklahoma State backer Nick Martin.
Martin, undersized at 6-foot-0, dealt with injuries for much of 2024 but possesses the rangy coverage style that'll remind Niners fans of Greenlaw.
Saleh, a former linebackers coach before subsequently joining the coordinator and head-coaching ranks in later years, pinned both Warner and Greenlaw as must-have prospects during his first stint with San Francisco. Winters, meanwhile, Saleh inherited.
Considering Saleh was given plenty of influence over the 49ers' 2025 draft class, it's not hard to see why he potentially wanted to shake things up, and Martin is likely yet another example of the coordinator's presence.
That's not necessarily good news for Winters, though, who could easily get pushed to the periphery.