San Francisco 49ers Potential 2024 Breakout Player

With the 2024 NFL season quickly approaching, it is time to evaluate which San Francisco 49ers player could have a breakout season. While sometimes it is difficult to predict with injuries affecting the players, one 49ers player has the chance to make his name known this year. That player is linebacker Dee Winters. Here is a look at Winters’ career so far and why he has the chance to have a breakout season in 2024.

Dee Winters Collegiate Career

Winters has not yet gotten a true shot with the 49ers. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 NFL Draft so he is still young. Before joining the 49ers, Winters played for the TCU Horned Frogs for four years. In those four years, according to Sports Reference, Winters had 246 total tackles, 160 solo, 12 sacks, and 33.5 tackles for loss. He also caught three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Continuing with turnovers, Winters had two fumble recoveries, one resulting in a touchdown.

Following his four years, as known, he was drafted by the 49ers. He was selected in the sixth round with the 216th overall pick. While he is a late draft pick, this is sometimes the 49ers’ specialty. Other late draft picks include 49ers linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, both of which are day three selections.

Dee Winters’ Career So Far

There really is not much to say about the young linebacker’s career so far. Winters did make the final roster in 2023, but not as a starter. This is normal for rookies with Kyle Shanahan as the 49ers head coach. Notably, Talanoa Hufanga spent his rookie season on special teams before turning into the player he is now. Hufanga began starting for the team in his second year, though that was more of a position of need.

The difficult aspect of Winters’ career is that he is sitting behind Greenlaw and Warner. Of course, he also has excellent veterans to learn from. Sitting behind the two does help him in a way. The issue is with the two of them it is difficult to get playing time. There are other veterans on the team such as Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles who Winters is behind as well.

In 2023, Winters was active for 15 regular season games and all three postseason games. In the final fame of the season, the 49ers had the chance to rest their starters, already clinching the number one seed. This allowed Winters to play, but he had just one tackle, according to ESPN. Although not much has been seen of him, the linebacker is still very new to his NFL career.

Why 2024 Could Be the Breakout Year

Now, why is Winters being discussed ahead of the 2024 season? Now that training camp is over, Winters has made a name for himself, at least among 49ers fans who have been following along. He is one of the players on defense who has been having an excellent training camp. He has been making life hard for the San Francisco offense this summer. The 49ers recently released their first unofficial depth chart, and Winters is right behind De’Vondre Campbell. Winters is going to be a player to watch in the preseason and do not be surprised if he is seen during the 2024 regular season more often.

Here is the issue, there are still a couple of linebackers ahead of him. The timetable for Greenlaw to return from his Achilles tear is unknown. Winters will need to compete with Greenlaw eventually to get playing time as well. Right now, Winters is listed as a WILL. If given the chance to move around the position, there is a chance he could beat out Flannigan-Fowles as a SAM. For Winters it will be a battle, from a team perspective, this is a good issue to have.

To have a breakout year, players need to be on the field, and Winters will have to fight to get there. But of the lesser-known 49ers players, he has the chance to be the one to make his name known when given the opportunity. The next step will be to see what he has in him throughout the next three preseason games.