Linebacker Dee Winters was surprised to hear he had been traded from San Francisco to Dallas in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it at all. I was pretty surprised,” the former TCU Horned Frog said Thursday of the news, via the Cowboys’ official team website. “I certainly had no plans to get traded. But everything happens for a reason, I’m excited to be back home and playing for the Dallas Cowboys.”
The Cowboys got Winters in the fifth round to secure the middle of the defense. During his first two years in San Francisco, injuries opened the door for Winters to take a step forward in 2025. He started 17 games for the Niners, making 101 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five passes defensed and six picks.
Winters had some rough moments, but overall he filled in well after Fred Warner’s injury. The 25-year-old said the learning experience will help him immensely moving forward.
“I just think the attention to detail last year and just understanding what the offense likes to do,” Winters said. “I feel like I started to pick up on that more as I got reps. Just that experience every single game getting better and trying to use that motto, I think that really helped me have a decent year last year.”