The San Francisco 49ers traded linebacker Dee Winters to the Dallas Cowboys for the No. 152 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys announced Friday night.

Winters was drafted in the sixth round out of TCU by the 49ers in 2023. He’s started 27 of 47 games in his career, amassing 155 total tackles and eight tackles for loss.

Winters broke out in his third season in 2025, his first as a regular starter. He had 101 combined tackles and stepped up in the absence of All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who missed much of the season with a broken right ankle.

San Francisco recently signed 28-year-old linebacker Dre Greenlaw back to the team after a year with the Denver Broncos. Greenlaw was a fifth-round pick in 2019 by the 49ers and played his first six seasons in San Francisco.

Greenlaw had two 120-plus tackle seasons and was a part of four trips to the NFC Championship Game for the 49ers. Greenlaw signed with Denver ahead of the 2025 season, played in just eight games, and then signed back with the 49ers on a one-year, $6 million contract at the start of free agency.

What trade means for 49ers

The 49ers’ signing of Greenlaw made Winters expendable, and a fifth-round pick in return is decent value. Winters had an up-and-down season last year, and he definitely missed having Fred Warner around to lean on, but he is still an intriguing player.

Winters has great range, and his interception return for a touchdown sealed a win over the Indianapolis Colts. For the 49ers, this trade creates room on the depth chart for last year’s third-round pick, Nick Martin, who played in only seven games last year. He would never have seen the field with Warner, Greenlaw and Winters ahead of him. — Vic Tafur, 49ers writer

What trade means for Cowboys

Inside linebacker is the Cowboys’ biggest need. Adding Dee Winters helps. He had over 100 tackles last season in 17 starts, but there is still work to do at the position.

Winters gives the Cowboys a starting-caliber player to pair with DeMarvion Overshown. Their reserves are Shemar James and Justin Barron. At least one more inside linebacker is still needed. The Cowboys, who don’t have a second-round pick, have been open about having trade possibilities on the table if they get wiped out at inside linebacker in this draft. – Jon Machota, Cowboys writer