49ers-Cowboys Swing Trade in Middle of Round 2 of NFL Draft

The overhauling of the Dallas Cowboys' 30th-ranked defense continues.

The team drafted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the 11th pick of the 2026 NFL draft, and they followed it up by grabbing UCF edge-rusher Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick.

Now, Dallas has added a missing piece in the middle of the defense after agreeing to a trade with the NFC rival San Francisco 49ers on Friday.

"Sources: The #49ers are trading LB Dee Winters to the #Cowboys, as Dallas addresses a huge need at LB," NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted on X.

"Comp update: The #49ers will receive a 5th-round pick in exchange for Dee Winters being traded to the #Cowboys, per source," he added in a follow-up post.

The 49ers have another selection to make in the second round, plus a picks in Round 3, three in Round 4, and two in Round 5.

Winters led the 49ers in tackles last season (101), and he added eight tackles for loss, five passes defended, and one interception (a 74-yard pick-6). The 25-year-old linebacker has improved each of his three NFL seasons. He jumped from 10 tackles as a rookie, to 44 in Year 2 and 101 last year.

This is the second trade between the Cowboys and 49ers in the last few weeks. The latter sent a third-round pick to Dallas for 27-year-old defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.

Winters joins DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James in the middle of the Cowboys revamped linebacker unit.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 5:27 PM.