49ers trade Dee Winters to Cowboys for 5th-round draft pick

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboysacquired linebackerDee Winters from the San Francisco 49erson Friday for pick No. 152 in the fifth round of the NFL draft.

The Cowboys searched for a middle linebacker in free agency but didn't land Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd orNakobe Dean.

The Cowboys had trade discussions with several teams, including the Houston Texans for Azeez Al-Shaair and the Miami Dolphins for Jordyn Brooks, according to sources, but what those teams wanted in return was too much.

The Cowboys could still add a linebacker in the draft, but Winters is a young veteran with 27 starts. Before the trade, the Cowboys had only three off-ball linebackers in DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James and Justin Barron.

Had the Cowboys not been able to select pass rusher Malachi Lawrence with their second first-round pick Thursday, then Georgia's CJ Allen would have been one of their top targets for the pick, according to sources.

Winters, 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, was a sixth-round pick of the Niners in 2023 out of TCU. In 17 starts at weakside linebacker last season, he was credited with 101 tackles and returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown.

Dre Greenlawreturned to San Francisco in March after his release from the Denver Broncos. With Greenlaw expected to return to the starting role and Winters entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Niners sacrificed some linebacker depth for an additional draft pick.

Behind starters Greenlaw and Fred Warner, the Niners also have Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford, Garret Wallow and Nick Martin, last year's third-round selection, as linebacker depth.

San Francisco entered the draft with six picks but has eight after trading Winters, including three in the fourth round and two more in the fifth.

This is the second trade the Cowboys and Niners have executed this offseason. Dallas received a third-round pick from San Francisco for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.br/]