The Dallas Cowboys will prevent one of their top defensive players from hitting the open market this offseason.
Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and the Cowboys have agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported. The deal includes $52 million in guaranteed money.
Odighizuwa, 26, was set to become a free agent when the new league year opens in March and was viewed as a possible franchise tag candidate. He was ranked as the 12th-best overall impending free agent and second-best defensive tackle in FOX Sports’ top 100 NFL free agent ranking.
Odighizuwa became a full-time starter for the Cowboys nearly instantly after the team took him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s started every game for Dallas in the last three seasons, recording at least 40 total tackles and three sacks each year. He posted career highs in total tackles (47) and sacks (4.5) in 2024, adding a forced fumble.
Beyond box score stats, a few advanced metrics had Odighizuwa as one of the best defensive tackles in football last season. His 60 pressures were the third-most at the position and his 30 run stops were the 12th-most among interior defensive linemen, per Pro Football Focus. He was also 12th among defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate (11%), according to ESPN.
Odighizuwa was one of the lone bright spots for the Cowboys defense in 2024. Dallas’ defensive unit ranked 28th in total defense and 31st in scoring defense last season, struggling en route to a 7-10 season. As a result, head coach Mike McCarthy was let go and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer left after a season. Former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus was named the defensive coordinator under first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
With Odighizuwa’s contract situation settled, the attention turns to Micah Parsons. The star pass rusher is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has expressed a desire to receive an extension this offseason. Such a deal would likely make Parsons one of the highest-paid defensive players, if not the highest-paid defensive player, in NFL history.
The Cowboys also have a handful of other notable free agents this offseason, with edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, running back Rico Dowdle, edge rusher Chauncey Golston, linebacker Eric Kendricks and quarterback Cooper Rush being among them.
Prior to Odighizuwa’s new deal, the Cowboys only had $2.4 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com.
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