Cowboys facing $23,000,000 problem with their franchise tag candidate, per insider
The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason filled with uncertainty, including which player would get the franchise tag. The leading candidate is defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa, but his contract could present Jerry Jones and the front office with a problem.
On Monday, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Odighizuwa's projected cost against the cap of around $23 million may be too high for Jones. However, should that be the case, it does not mean the club won’t try to re-sign him during free agency.
Bob Sturm projects that Dallas’ breakout defensive player in 2024 may be due to receive a huge salary bump.
"In other news, PFF projects Osa Odighizuwa's free agent projected contract at....4/$85m! Yowzers," Sturm tweeted on Monday.
The Cowboys 2021 third-round selection from UCLA finished the final year of his four-year rookie contract this past season — a deal for over $5 million per Spotrac. On March 12, 22 players on the Dallas roster will be unrestricted free agents.
Following a rough 2024 campaign where it missed the playoffs with a 7-10 record, the club hopes to build itself up sooner rather than later, including keeping some key players like Odighizuwa.
Osa Odighizuwa’s value to the Cowboys
It remains to be seen how much value the Cowboys hold in Osa Odighizuwa, but he made a strong case last season to be retained by the team.
Odighizuwa set career-highs in quarterback sacks (4.5) and pressures (54). Todd Archer called him the type of player that the club would like to build with. A former first-team All-Pac 12 member with the Bruins in 2020, Odighizuwa has made 20 or more solo tackles in each of his NFL seasons, while five of his tackles in 2024 went for losses.
Bringing the heat is one of the few things outgoing Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer had going for him last season, as the Cowboys were third in the NFL in team sacks (52). Odighizuwa’s ability to shed blocks was a big reason for it.
With Matt Eberflus stepping in to become the new defensive coordinator under Brian Schottenheimer, he’ll likely want to keep Odighizuwa in the room and develop him into an elite pass rusher. He showed the ability to become that in 2024 and a coach like Eberflus could give him more boost.
The Cowboys have also often talked about Odighizuwa’s locker room presence. He’s a massive value to their roster, but plenty of moving parts need to fit for him to stay and for the franchise to add other depth pieces.