The Dallas Cowboys‘ crowd at defensive deal with is getting smaller.
On Wednesday on the official begin of the 2026 league yr, insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater reported that the Cowboys “are finalizing” a deal that can ship inside defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter supplied additional particulars, sharing that Dallas will obtain a 2026 third-round decide (No. 92 total) in return.
Cowboys escape defensive deal with logjam with Osa Odighizuwa commerce to the 49ers
The Cowboys had extra starting-caliber defensive tackles than vital after buying Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams final season. That made Odighizuwa, a 2021 third-round decide (No. 75 total) expendable regardless of signing a four-year, $80M extension final offseason.
On Tuesday, CBS Sports activities NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported that groups have been “maintaining a tally of what Dallas could do” relating to his contract, which was set to account for $20.75M in opposition to the cap, the group’s fourth-largest cap cost. Williams ($21.6M) and Clark ($12.7M) additionally rank within the high eight within the Cowboys’ largest 2026 cap hits, making holding all three untenable.
By dealing Odighizuwa, the Cowboys additionally acquired again a third-round decide in subsequent month’s draft after buying and selling their very own in final Could’s commerce with the Pittsburgh Steelers for broad receiver George Pickens. Dallas can also be with out its personal 2026 second after the deadline deal for Williams.
The transfer additionally advantages the 49ers, who wanted so as to add to the defensive position after ending final within the league in sacks (20) a season in the past. Earlier this week, San Francisco misplaced defensive deal with Jordan Elliott, who began 16 video games in 2025, to the Tennessee Titans, additional making the inside a precedence. According to Sports Info Solutions data, Odighizuwa ranked third amongst defensive tackles with a minimum of 350 cross rushes in stress fee (13.9 %), trailing Jeffery Simmons and Chris Jones, arguably the 2 greatest gamers on the place.
Odighizuwa may have remained a superb rotational piece in Dallas, however he was a luxurious the group could not afford. The Cowboys are solely on the hook for Odighizuwa’s remaining $16M in bonus cash, $4.75M lower than what they might have owed him had he remained on the roster.
Dallas nonetheless has loads of wants after placing collectively one of many league’s worst defenses final yr. However Wednesday’s take care of the 49ers offers it choices in constructing a extra balanced roster. Contemplating the place the group is, it is a transfer the Cowboys could not cross up.
