Tag: Dee Winters

State of the Roster: Starting job wide open for 49ers at LB

State of the 49ers Roster: There’s a starting LB job up for grabs.

With 49ers OTAs in full swing, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team’s roster to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, potential dark horses to make the team and other nuggets about the players who will be competing for jobs on the 53-man roster.

The 49ers won’t have a ton of turnover on their defense this year, but linebacker could be a possible exception. San Francisco saw Azeez Al-Shaair leave to join the Titans in free agency, leaving a vacancy at the starting Sam linebacker spot.

While the 49ers have to iron out who starts in Al-Shaair’s stead, they’ll also be aiming to iron out the rest of their depth chart behind that starter. Not only will they have a new starter, but they may have a couple of new faces among the reserves as well.

How the linebacking corps shakes out is a huge question mark since it appears every player on the 90-man roster has a real shot to make the club.

Let’s look at the LB group on the offseason roster:

LB Dee Winters could offer short and long-term fixes for 49ers

Dee Winters checks a lotta boxes for the 49ers to offer both short and long-term solutions at LB.

The 49ers used their lone sixth-round pick on TCU linebacker Dee Winters. He could offer immediate and long-term solutions for a couple of problems San Francisco could soon face at linebacker.

Winters should compete right away for the starting Sam linebacker job, which was vacated when Azeez Al-Shaair who left for Tennessee in free agency. He’ll have to battle with veterans Oren Burks and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, but general manager John Lynch invoked Dre Greenlaw’s name when discussing what they saw in Winters.

Greenlaw began his career as a fifth-round pick who began at SLB. He eventually moved over to Will LB to stay on the field for all three downs.

Winters could certainly compete for the SLB job as a rookie, but it’s not out of the question that he could move to WLB eventually. Greenlaw has two years left on his contract, at which point he may get priced out of what the 49ers can afford.

The WLB spot alongside Fred Warner has been a huge key for the 49ers’ defense and the defense has improved as Greenlaw has improved. Finding his potential replacement should be a priority for San Francisco, and Winters has the athleticism and coverage skills to develop into that player down the line.

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WATCH: Dee Winters’ best highlights from TCU

Winters’ highlight reel from TCU was all the #49ers needed to see to justify his selection in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft

Linebacker Dee Winters was a major part of TCU’s path to the 2023 college football national championship game and should be able to fight for a spot on the San Francisco 49ers’ roster next season. The rangy linebacker has a great football IQ and can make opposing ball carriers pay when they enter his area on the field.

Though he’ll need time to adjust to the professional game as a sixth-round selection, Winters brings an exceptional highlight reel with him to the league after an outstanding career as a collegian. Check out his best plays below to get acquainted with his skillset ahead of the 2023 season:

 

49ers select TCU LB Dee Winters with No. 216 pick

The #49ers selected TCU linebacker Dee Winters with their 216th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Saturday

The San Francisco 49ers made a bold move with the 216th pick in the 2023 NFL draft, selecting Texas Christian University linebacker Dee Winters in the sixth round. Winters proved himself to be an impactful starter for the Horned Frogs in the team’s meteoric rise in the college football rankings last season and should be able to work himself into a roster spot in 2023.

Winters stands just under six feet tall and has enough speed to compensate for his lack of height. He is a rangy, rugged linebacker with the ability to wrap up even the most elusive ball carriers in space, especially in key situations.

Scouts value the experience that players like Winters bring to the table, especially at this stage in the draft process. He will likely need time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game, but as a late-round pick, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Watch for this established stud to make waves in training camp and quickly become a fan-favorite in the bay area.

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Dolphins nab two offensive, two defensive players in seven-round mock draft

He has them attack two of their biggest needs first.

In just days, the Miami Dolphins will enter the league’s 2023 draft with the goal of improving their roster for not only this year but for the years beyond as well.

General manager Chris Grier only has four selections at this point for the second straight year, meaning he’ll have to be really confident in his selections if he wants to make the biggest impact.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter recently published a seven-round mock draft where the Dolphins selected two offensive and two defensive players to address some of their needs.

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Here’s who Reuter predicts Miami could select:

Chargers 2023 NFL draft preview: Where does Los Angeles stand at linebacker?

Our Chargers’ NFL draft preview series continues with the linebacker position.

After taking a steady approach in free agency, signing just one external player in linebacker Eric Kendricks and re-signing a handful of their own, the Chargers now have their sights set on the draft where they will look to bolster their roster with their selections and make a deeper run in 2023.

Before, we’re going position by position to break down where Los Angeles stands entering the draft.

Next up is the linebacker group.

Catch the previous previews here:

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Edge defender

Interior defensive line

Rams 2023 Draft Prospect Profile: Dee Winters (LB, TCU)

Dee Winters would be a viable option on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL draft if the Rams want to select an ILB.

The Los Angeles Rams will need to address a variety of needs throughout the rest of the offseason, primarily via the 2023 NFL draft. With the losses of Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, and Greg Gaines this offseason, the Rams could look to replace those players in the draft.

Even though it isn’t a bigger need than other positions, the Rams could certainly consider taking an inside linebacker in this year’s draft following the release of Bobby Wagner. Ernest Jones has proven to be a formidable starter, but he’ll need someone to help fortify the middle of the defense.

If the Rams want to fill other needs before taking an inside linebacker, Dee Winters would be a solid Day 3 pick.

Chargers post-2023 NFL Scouting Combine 7-round mock draft

The Chargers get Justin Herbert some weapons and bolster the defensive side of the ball.

This year’s NFL Combine has come and gone, with those who performed well skyrocketing up draft boards while those who had a week to forget fade into obscurity.

Here are Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez and Alex Katson’s first seven-round projections following the event.

10 takeaways from the top DL, edge rusher, LB performances at NFL Combine

We’re looking at takeaways and instant analysis from the top defensive line and linebacker performances at the 2023 NFL Combine

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is underway with the defensive tackles, edge rushers, and linebackers putting on a show during the on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

All-American defensive tackle Jalen Carter was a spectator after returning to Indianapolis following his arrest for misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with the fatal crash that killed one of his Georgia football teammates, Devin Willock, and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy earlier this year.

Carter, a projected top-five pick in next month’s NFL draft, had been scheduled to speak with reporters when the arrest warrant was issued.

The workouts went on and several high-profile players including one of Carter’s Georgia teammates.

Here are ten takeaways from the top performances on the afternoon.

7 linebackers for the Eagles to watch at NFL combine

We’re previewing seven linebackers for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

The NFL draft started in Mobile, and now league personnel and college football’s top prospects are taking the show to Lucas Oil Stadium for the scouting combine.

With the Eagles set to retool on defense, we’re taking a look at the linebacker position.

Philadelphia has Haason Reddick under contract for two more years, but the other two starters, T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White are set to become unrestricted free agents.

The Eagles do have rookie Nakobe Dean, rookie Kyron Johnson, and Patrick Johnson under contract but could look to add more depth.

With kickoff from Mobile quickly approaching, here are seven linebackers to watch at the scouting combine.