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Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, linebacker Dee Winters was a crucial member of the San Francisco 49ers defense. He left the draft as one of the new faces of a new Dallas Cowboys defense.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it at all. I was pretty surprised. … I definitely had no intention of being traded,” Winters said of being traded to Dallas in the draft, according to the Cowboys team website. “But everything happens for a reason. I’m excited to be back home and able to play for the Dallas Cowboys.”
Dallas traded the No. 152 pick in this year’s draft to San Francisco to acquire Winters, a Texas native and TCU alum who is entering the final season of his rookie contract.
Winters is coming off arguably the best season of his three-year NFL career. In 2025, he set career highs with one interception – which he returned for a touchdown – five passes defended, eight tackles for loss and 101 combined tackles.
What was the key to its success?
“I think just the attention to detail last year and just understanding what offenses like to do,” Winters said of his 2025 campaign. “I feel like I started to realize that as I got more reps. Just that experience, every game gets better and I try to use that motto. I think that really helped me have a decent year.”
Meanwhile, in Dallas, the Cowboys gave up the most points in the NFL (30.1 per game), finished 30th in opponent total yards (377.0 per game) and recorded just 35.0 sacks (five-way tie for 22nd). After the season, Dallas fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after one year in favor of former Philadelphia Eagles passing coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who had a concrete plan for Winters.
“He wants to take me to space,” Winters said. “He feels like one of my strengths is that I’m in space and I’m able to make tackles in space. Just running and hitting with my physicality and speed that I bring to the game. He and I are both excited to see what that looks like and go from there.”
Winters was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He played four seasons at TCU (2019-22), located about 20 minutes west of AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys. He grew up in Burton, Texas, about three and a half hours south of Dallas.
The Cowboys have revamped their defense this offseason. In addition to acquiring Winters, Dallas traded for Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary and signed defensive backs Jalen Thompson ($33 million, three-year contract) and Cobie Durant (one-year, $4 million contract). Then in the draft, Dallas selected Ohio State Buckeyes safety and two-time All-American Caleb Downs with the No. 11 pick and UCF Knights defensive end Malachi Lawrence with the No. 23 pick.
