The Dallas Cowboys have had some eventful offseasons in the past few years. Last year, Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb were signed to massive long-term deals after weeks of negotiating. This year, the team has other high-profile players who are in line for deals like Micah Parsons. Another player on the defensive line who wants a new deal is defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The team was rumored to be using the franchise tag on him, but it did not take long for the two sides to strike a new deal.
Dallas Cowboys Re-Sign Osa Odighizuwa
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the deal is for four years and $80 million. $58 million of that money is guaranteed, and it includes a $20 million signing bonus. Rumors indicated the Dallas Cowboys would use the franchise tag on the player if a deal could not be reached. This is much better for both sides. The team now understands how their money is tied up long-term, and Osa Odighizuwa gets a long-term contract.
The defensive line is a key position for the Dallas Cowboys. They get to keep their home-grown talent in-house. Odighizuwa was a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and last year was his best year by far. He racked up 4.5 sacks, 47 tackles, five tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one pass deflection. Now that he is signed, the team can turn its attention to getting a deal done with Parsons.
More Signings To Come?
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have a massive amount of cap space to work with. However, getting Parsons signed is priority number one. He is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate and the leader of the defense. Parsons makes everyone else on the defensive line better because he draws so much attention.
He is the reason getting Odighizuwa was such a big deal. If teams can focus on Parsons and ignore the rest of the line, the pass rush will fall flat. Odighizuwa has proven he can win with quickness and leverage, pressuring the quarterback to get rid of the ball sooner than he would like. Parsons will undoubtedly reset the market for defensive ends, and it will be interesting to see what the extension ultimately looks like.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Cowboys didn’t make much noise last offseason. It seems Jerry Jones is not making the same mistake again. He waited a long time to get Prescott and Lamb signed, and it may have hurt the team last season. The team can now go into the year knowing their star defensive tackle is locked up for the long run. What will their next move be to enhance the team?
