(Editor's Note: As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. We'll start with LB Dee Winters)
How He Got Here: On the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys traded a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Winters. Throughout the offseason, linebacker was the only position on defense that the Cowboys didn't make a free signing at, and Winters helped address the need at the position.
Winters had spent the last three season with the 49ers after they drafted him in the sixth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of TCU. In his final season of college football with the Horned Frogs, Winters was a key part of TCU's 2022 defense that helped them reach the CFP national championship game. The game before in the CFP semifinal against Michigan, Winters was named the MVP of the game after posting seven tackles, three tackles for loss and returned a 29-yard interception to give TCU a 34-16 lead late in the third quarter.
What's Next? Where does Winters fit in Christian Parker's scheme? The easy answer appears to be as a weakside linebacker, where he's played his entire career. Winters' best traits are his speed and ability to cover ground sideline to sideline, which could work very well if he plays alongside DeMarvion Overshown, who is aiming to be Dallas' MIKE linebacker this season. Should the two be on the field at the same time and healthy, speed will certainly be a strong suit of Dallas' linebacker core.
Did you Know鈥�
- While Winters may get some work in practice wearing the green dot, he admitted he has never played a game with it on during his career. Winters added that he'd be willing to do it if the Cowboys asked him to, and Christian Parker has said the Cowboys will try different options at the position and make sure multiple players are prepared if need be.
- Winters played in and started in a career-high 17 games for San Francisco in 2025, and more than doubled his career-best tackle total to finish with 101 total tackles, which led the team. With that, he added eight tackles for loss, five pass breakups, three hits on the quarterback and a 74-yard pick six against the Colts.
- A native of Brenham, Texas, Winters grew up about 226 miles south of AT&T Stadium. He attended Burton High School and initially played safety before converting to linebacker as soon as he arrived on campus at TCU.
