TRADED Trade: Cowboys acquire Dee Winters

[Bigdog]

What did we give up to get him? I hope it wasn't a 4th

A 5th

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

Defense moves from 31st to 17th with this trade

LOL

 

[baltcowboy]

I am loving trading for proven vets.

Our day 3 selections have been sucking for awhile.

I am just glad we didn’t trade back with Miami to give them 20 while we get 30 for Brooks.

 

[Jipper]

Agree. Now let’s see it work.

Lets hope so

 

[fivetwos]

I’m putting all my trust into CP at this point.

If he wants that linebacker and it costs a 5th, not a problem.

 

[Risen Star]

Ok, well in that case, I’ll give Jerry a call and tell him to undo that deal.

You would collapse under the first exchange.

 

[jblaze2004]

This dude can hit

 

[gtb1943]

looks like a solid player; only 25. Racked up a lot of tackles last year. So honestly for a 5th I am fine with it

 

[AbeBeta]

On paper I like it but why would SF deal him?

Because Fred Warner is back and healthy and Dre Greenlaw came back as a UFA.

Dude -- it isn't hard to figure this stuff out on your own. You are literally using a device that allows you to do that -- do some research -- you gotta use that brain or else it is gonna go to mush (more mush)

 

[DCwarrior]

Getting the urge to go on a Game of Thrones binge watch, lol.

It’s next on my rewatch list. On season 2 of Sopranos for the 3rd time.

 

[TrailBlazer]

winters is average. played good next to Fred Warner and not so good without warner

 

[lwehlers]

It’s next on my rewatch list. On season 2 of Sopranos for the 3rd time.

tony soprano never gets old to watch. the man that played him was great actor to bad he is gone now.

 

[gtb1943]

winters is average. played good next to Fred Warner and not so good without warner

so like so many other players he does not do well when surrounded by duds.
Oh the HORROR!

 

[ScotsCowboy]

winters is average. played good next to Fred Warner and not so good without warner

The morons are out in force on this one.

 

[QuestForSix]

The more I think about this the more I like it. He’s serviceable and we could do a lot worse. Hopefully he’s not a starter for us but wouldn’t be end of the world if he was

 

[jblaze2004]

Surprisingly, he is 5'11 and about 230lbs like Nakobe Dean but wayyy faster. Had a similar season, Dee Winters was more durable.

From Google Gemini:

Comparing Dee Winters (San Francisco 49ers) and Nakobe Dean (Las Vegas Raiders, formerly Eagles) provides an interesting look at two young, athletic linebackers who have taken very different paths to their current roles.

As of the 2025-2026 season, here is how they stack up based on performance, PFF data, and traditional stats.

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Player Profiles & Roles​

Feature	Dee Winters (SF)	Nakobe Dean (LV)
Drafted	2023, 6th Round (TCU)	2022, 3rd Round (Georgia)
Current Team	San Francisco 49ers	Las Vegas Raiders
Primary Strength	Reliable Tackling & Durability	High-End Pass Rush & Blitzing
2025 Role	Full-time Starter (993 Snaps)	Rotational/Situational (403 Snaps)

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2025 PFF Ratings (Out of 88 Qualified LBs)​

Winters emerged as a high-volume starter for the 49ers in 2025, while Dean transitioned to a specialized role for the Raiders after an injury-plagued tenure in Philadelphia.

Metric	Dee Winters	Nakobe Dean
Overall Defense Grade	60.4 (46th)	61.7 (43rd)
Pass Rush Grade	54.2 (72nd)	92.3 (3rd)
Coverage Grade	62.0 (29th)	62.0 (29th)
Run Defense Grade	62.6 (55th)	42.9 (84th)

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Key Performance Breakdown​

Dee Winters: The "Steady Hand"​

Winters has seen a massive jump in responsibility. In 2025, he played nearly 1,000 defensive snaps, effectively becoming the backbone of the 49ers' linebacker corps alongside Fred Warner.

• Availability: He has been incredibly durable, playing in 17 games in 2025.
  
  
  
• The Stats: Recorded 101 total tackles (85 solo) and his first career interception, which he returned 74 yards for a touchdown.
• The Caveat: His high tackle volume comes with a risk; he was charged with 16 missed tackles in 2025, suggesting he's always around the ball but can be aggressive to a fault.
  

Nakobe Dean: The "Blitz Specialist"​

After a torn patellar tendon ended his 2024 season in Philadelphia, Dean moved to the Raiders. His 2025 season was defined by extreme efficiency in limited snaps.

• Pass Rush Monster: Dean posted an elite 92.3 PFF pass-rush grade, ranking 3rd in the league among LBs. He managed 4.0 sacks on just 30 pass-rush snaps.
  
  
  
• Run Defense Struggles: While he's a heat-seeking missile on the blitz, his run defense (42.9 grade) was a major liability in 2025, often getting washed out by larger offensive linemen.
  
  
  
• Health: Injuries remain the story; he only appeared in 10 games in 2025.
  

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The Verdict​

• For your Fantasy Team: Dee Winters is the clear choice. He is a "tackle machine" who rarely leaves the field.
• For Impact Plays: Nakobe Dean has the higher "ceiling" for big plays (sacks and forced fumbles) but lacks the snap count to be a consistent statistical producer.
• Development: Winters has developed from a 6th-round flyer into a legitimate NFL starter. Dean remains a high-pedigree talent who is still looking for a scheme that can hide his run-defense deficiencies while letting him hunt quarterbacks.

 

[gtb1943]

I look at it this way:
he played virtually every single snap for a Defense much better than ours.

 

[jblaze2004]

looks like a solid player; only 25. Racked up a lot of tackles last year. So honestly for a 5th I am fine with it

me too.

 

[IceStar-D7]

A little small for my taste. 5'11 228.

 

[75boyz]

Probably better than anyone we'd get in the 5th. How can he be worse than Kenneth Murray?

Yep, this has become the team linebacker standard. Trying to not be as bad as the previous year's Murray, Sanborn and Wilson failures.

That needle skyrocketing upward I tell ya.