The San Francisco 49ers have moved on from their leading tackler last season for some Day 3 draft capital.
Linebacker Dee Winters will now be a Dallas Cowboy, as the Niners sent him to the NFC East team in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s NFL draft, the team confirmed on Friday. Winters led the defense in tackles with 101 combined, and 67 solo. He had already been promoted to a starting role ahead of the season with the departure of Dre Greenlaw to the Broncos, but his role became even more important after Fred Warner suffered a season-ending ankle-injury, turning Winters into a season-long starter for the first time in his three-year career.
The writing might have already been on the wall that Winters’ time with the Niners was up when Greenlaw returned to San Francisco this offseason after the Broncos cut him. His return made an already crowded linebacker room even more so. While this might create a touch of breathing room, the Niners still have linebackers like Tatum Bethune, Nick Martin, Curtis Robinson, Jalen Graham and Garret Wallow, and that’s on top of special teamer Luke Gifford and star player Fred Warner.
As for what the team got in return, it’s worth noting that Winters was a sixth-round pick in 2023, so a fifth-rounder is pretty solid for what ostensibly comes down to trimming the fat of this defensive unit. At the same time, this seems to indicate the Niners will rely on Greenlaw’s health to maintain this upcoming season, which is far from guaranteed.
This is not the first time the Niners have traded with their historic rival this offseason. In March, the team traded for veteran defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, sending a third-rounder to Dallas in return.