It’s officially the offseason in the NFL. Coaching staffs are being rounded out. Players are being released, and others signed to futures contracts or early extensions.
Not that the Cowboys would know anything about signing players early before the market skyrockets. Jerry Jones and the front office are notorious for dragging out contract negotiations that surely started with a low ball offer.
Star EDGE Micah Parsons is out here making public requests to the Cowboys’ front office to get his deal done NOW. He wants the Cowboys to be aggressive in free agency and build a roster similarly to Howie Roseman in Philadelphia.
I don’t believe anyone has had the opportunity to ask Jerry or Stephen Jones about Micah’s comments, but you can bet your bottom dollar that will be the first question asked when the opportunity arises.
What is the hold up? Is it really the Jones’ not prioritizing a contract that they should want to get done sooner than later, or is it Micah’s agent holding up the negotiations?
We won’t know the answer to that question any time soon. No matter, we are here today to talk about another young player on defense set to be a free agent: DT Osa Odighizuwa.
Most see Osa as a priority re-signing for the Cowboys, and my colleague at Inside The Star, Cody Warren, so kindly detailed to us all the reasons why it’s a good move.
I might have a little bit of a hot take here, but I’m not so sure that it would be worth it for the Cowboys to bring Osa back to the team, and I have my own reasons why.
Is There Enough Pie?
Hold on. Before you throw your beverage at me, hear me out. According to spotrac.com, Osa Odighizuwa is projected to command a contract in the range of 3yr/$63 million, or $21 million annually.
Here is a list of other impact defensive tackles who are in the same range of average annual salary:
- DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis ($23 million)
- DaRon Payne, Washington ($22.5 million)
- Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants ($21.875 million)
- Kenny Clark, Green Bay ($21.33 million)
- Javon Hargrave, San Francisco ($21 million)
- Christian Barmore, New England ($20.875 million)
Osa’s $21 million per year projection is just an estimate, and the way the Cowboys do business will drive that price up higher before it’s all said and done.
How can you justify Osa being paid the same or more than the other defensive tackles on this list? I know contract extensions are projections for the future, but this doesn’t help the Cowboys now or in the future.
Maybe if they knew how to structure deals like other teams successful in free agency, they could make the money work.
There Could Be More Bang For the Buck
There are other defensive tackles in free agency who can have near the same impact as Osa for a fraction of the price.
What if I told you one of those players already wears a star on his helmet? Chauncey Golston was taken nine picks after Odighizuwa in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft.
Golston just started coming into his own this season under Mike Zimmer. He had been asked to add weight to play inside in 2021, then the next season shed weight to play on the edge, only to add weight again in 2023.
This season, Golston played at a comfortable weight that allowed him to be effective both on the edge and also inside as a 3-technique.
He set career highs in pressures (18), hurries (9), and sacks (5.5) to set himself up nicely for a generous second contract. Spotrac estimates his 2025 contract to be in the $4-$6 million per year range.
The Cowboys can keep Osa at 3T for $21 million per year, or they can sign Golston for $6 million per season and he can line up on the edge as well as inside at 3T. It’s a no-brainer for me.
The Draft is as Deep as it Gets
The free agent pool might be shallow or too expensive for the Cowboys, but the draft is full of gems at defensive tackle itching to play in the NFL ranks.
There are 41 defensive tackles invited to this year’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, compared to just 25 last season.
The draft is deep enough at defensive tackle this season that I wouldn’t mind the Cowboys double-dipping at the position. They could add both a 3-technique and a 1-technique to the line on cheap, rookie contracts.
Dallas holds the 12th overall pick, and there are a handful of intriguing options that could be available at defensive tackle if they choose to pull the trigger in the 1st round on the same position for the second time in three seasons.
The Osa Train Stops Early
I heard an interesting theory from former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus on The Love of the Star podcast. He mentions that he thinks of Osa Odighizuwa as a college player.
He means that Osa’s stamina and durability are that of a college player used to playing 12-13 games plus a bowl game, and then packing it up until next year.
Broaddus said Osa’s play trails off in the last quarter of the season and into the playoffs, and a little research will show that to be true.
Of Osa’s 13.5 career sacks, only 3.5 came after Thanksgiving and into December and January. His snap counts also trail off. That may be on purpose, but isn’t the extra rest supposed to mean his play doesn’t trail off?
In four playoff games, Osa has recorded only 14 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hits, and just 1.0 sacks. To be paid at the top of the market, Osa needs to maintain his level of play when his team needs it the most.
At the end of the day, the pros don’t outweigh the cons when it comes to re-signing Odighizuwa.
When you step back and look at the big picture for the Cowboys, there are other paths they can take to build the roster at defensive tackle that will give them a little more flexibility to add to other positions of need.