Shortly after the Niners made a pick for the first time in the draft, grabbing Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 overall, news broke general manager John Lynch was shipping linebacker Dee Winters off to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round selection.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was among the first reporting the transaction:
Trade: The #Cowboys are trading for #49ers LB Dee Winters, per me, @TomPelissero and @SlaterNFL.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
In return, San Francisco will get the No. 152 overall pick back from Dallas.
It's not hard to understand the transaction. Ever since the 49ers re-signed fan-favorite linebacker Dre Greenlaw earlier this offseason after his one-year absence with the Denver Broncos, Winters became something of an expendable commodity.
True, Winters' ascent came primarily due to Greenlaw's 2025 departure. In fact, fellow backer Fred Warner tried comparing the two with the hope of pumping Winters up.
Ultimately, though, Winters' inconsistencies in a prominent role led to an easy choice to reunite with Greenlaw, making the former expendable.
It's somewhat ironic, too, because the 49ers were awfully shorthanded at linebacker for much of last season, especially after Warner suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Winters, along with Tatum Bethune and a signed-off-the-street veteran, Erik Kendricks, were forced into larger roles down the stretch.
But, with Greenlaw back on the roster and Warner ready to return from his injury, it becomes much more understandable why Winters finds himself on the outs.
This marks the second offseason trade between San Francisco and Dallas, the first being a blockbuster that sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to the Bay Area in exchange for a third-round pick, which the 49ers hope won't turn into anything substantial.
Now, the Niners hope Winters doesn't mature into a tone-setting Cowboys figure.
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