The Dallas Cowboys didn’t address the biggest weakness on their defense in the 2026 NFL draft by drafting an off-ball linebacker — we now know that the void at the position isn’t for a lack of effort.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Cowboys attempted to trade with the Houston Texans for Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who wound up signing a 3-year contract extension on Wednesday.
“Before trading for Dee Winters, the Cowboys talked to the Texans about Al-Shaair,” Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “But Houston values Al-Shaair for his play on the field and community work off of it. Now putting their $$$ down to further prove it.”
Al-Shaair has been 1 of the NFL’s elite off-ball linebackers the last 3 years, including a career-high 163 tackles in 2023 and 103 tackles in 2025 on the way to earning his 1st Pro Bowl selection.
The Cowboys traded a 2026 5th-round pick (No. 152 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers for Winters on April 24.
Dee Winters Coming Off 100-Tackle Season
Winter is going to be an incredible value for the Cowboys in 2026 in the final year of his 4-year, $3.97 million rookie contract.
The 5-foot-11, 227-pound former 6th-round pick became a full-time starter for the 49ers for the 1st time in 2025, starting all 17 games, and had a breakout season with 101 tackles, 8 TFL, 1 interception, and 5 pass deflections.
“Sources: The 49ers are trading LB Dee Winters to the Cowboys, as Dallas addresses a huge need at LB,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on April 24.
The Cowboys were a trade tornado on the 1st day of the NFL draft, pulling off 3 trades in a single day, including one for Winters.
What the Cowboys didn’t do? Draft an off-ball linebacker.
Where Cowboys Stand at Off-Ball Linebacker
The Cowboys had arguably the NFL’s worst defense in 2025, and a lot of that goes back to the lack of talent at off-ball linebacker.
While DeMarvion Overshown has been good when he’s on the field, he’s also torn his ACL twice in his 1st 3 seasons and looked like a shell of himself when he returned for the final part of the 2025 regular season.
Winters should be able to easily displace the other starting inside linebacker on Dallas’ depth chart with Shemar James.
What Dallas might actually need to do is think about improving that position group by signing a veteran free agent.
Topping the list of off-ball linebackers still available is 1 of the very best to ever do it in NFL history, 35-year-old Bobby Wagner.
Wagner, an 11-time NFL All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler, played the last 2 seasons for the Washington Commanders and is on pace to break the NFL’s career tackles record in 2026. With 60 more tackles, Wagner will break Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis’ NFL record of 2,059 tackles.
“We’ve made some really strong runs at inside linebacker,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer told Kay Adams on April 5. “It hasn’t worked out. You’re looking at one of the biggest Bobby Wagner fans in the world. Being in Seattle with him for three years and watching him compete and just talk trash in a good way. I love that guy…He’s still playing at a high level, so we’ll see how everything works out.”
Cowboys Attempted Trade With AFC Contender for Pro Bowl LB