The Dallas Cowboys attempted to acquire the Houston Texans' $34 million star linebacker before trading for Dee Winters. They ultimately failed in their pursuit of the Texans' defender.
Cowboys attempted to steal Texans' $34 million star defender before Dee Winters trade, per report originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Acquiring Dee Winters from the San Francisco 49ers was among the Dallas Cowboysâ beneficial NFL Draft roster moves.
The Cowboys have been on the hunt for a game-changing linebacker since the start of the offseason, and landing Winters by trading a sixth-round pick (No. 216 overall) to the 49ers during the draft was a creative way to bolster the aspect of their defense (Winters recorded a career-high 101 tackles with the 49ers in 2025-26).
However, before adding Winters to the equation, the Cowboys reportedly attempted to steal the Houston Texansâ star defender (linebacker), but ultimately couldnât make it happen.
"Before trading for Dee Winters, the#Cowboys talked to the#Texans about (Azeez) Al-Shaair,â NFL Networkâs Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday (per ESPNâs Todd Archer). âBut Houston values Al-Shaair for his play on the field and community work off of it. Now putting their money down to further prove it.â
The Cowboys reportedly tried to steal the Texans' $34 million star linebacker before finalizing the trade for Dee Winters.
The Cowboys acquired Dee Winters by trading a sixth-round pick (No. 216 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers during the NFL Draft.
Dee Winters recorded a career-high 101 tackles with the San Francisco 49ers in the 2025-26 season.
Mikel Arteta criticized the VAR decision to overturn a penalty for Eberechi Eze, calling it 'completely unacceptable'. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Morgan Rogers emerges as Manchester United's top attacking target at ÂŁ86m
New fantasy baseball injury rankings feature 52 players, including Crochet and Fairbanks.
Get ready for the 2026 Kentucky Derby: predictions, odds, and top horses!
Nick Saban urges for salary cap in college football to achieve balance
UFC Fight Night 275 features Della Maddalena vs. Prates in Perth!
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
Al-Shaair, who just secured a three-year extension with the Texans after a remarkable campaign (103 tackles and one forced fumble) that earned him his first All-Pro nod, played an integral role in Houstonâs dominance on the defensive side of the ball.
His surefire tackling chops against the run and in coverage, combined with his ability to sniff out plays before theyâre executed, helped him wreak havoc from start to finish. Itâs safe to say Houston wouldnât have possessed a top-5 defense without Al-Shaairâs contributions, explaining why the Cowboys recently pursued him.
However, trade talks with Houston didnât result in a blockbuster deal for Al-Shaair, so the five-time Super Bowl champions turned their attention to a capable LB in Winters.
More NFL: