Why Cowboys traded for 49ers' LB Dee Winters during NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Cowboys focused on defense with their two first-round picks in the NFL Draft, getting Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence.

They weren't done with that during the draft, although their next moved involved a trade for 49ers veteran linebacker Dee Winters.

It's a fun move, and it came right during the middle of the second round, but it wasn't so the Cowboys could make a pick.

It was so Dallas could keep strengthening that side of the ball.

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The Cowboys completed their early-draft defensive trifecta.

They traded down for edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at 23.

And now, instead of another pick on a rookie, they've got the veteran Winters from San Francisco.

Winters is 25 years old and made 101 tackles in the 2025 season.

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It was just a fifth-rounder to get Winters, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

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