New prospects may have inserted themselves onto the Dallas Cowboys' draft board following the NFL Combine. However, the biggest development from the week-long event in Indianapolis by far was the team's desire to retain defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
The Cowboys are reportedly entrenched negotiations with Odighizuwa. After leading all interior defenders in quarterback hits in 2024, Odighizuwa's potential new deal could reach up to $90 million in total value and upwards of $20 million in terms of annual average value.
That may have a domino effect on other free agents, including Rico Dowdle, whom the team wants back after a breakout season but may fetch a bigger contract elsewhere.
With the legal tampering period just a week away, Dallas is now working on a deadline to get Odighizuwa locked up. The consensus following the Combine is that a deal will get done, but negotiations for premium contracts take time, especially for this front office.
Fully aware of that, the Cowboys are exploiting a rather obvious loophole to bide themselves more time with their star defender.
Cowboys may franchise tag Osa Odighizuwa if contract talks bleed into NFL free agency
The Cowboys plan to use the franchise tag on Odighizuwa if the two sides don't reach a long-term deal by Tuesday's deadline, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano.
Doing so would prevent Odighizuwa from reaching free agency and give Dallas until July 15 to agree to an extension. It feels like the obvious move.
The franchise tag for DTs is projected at $25.1 million, per Over The Cap. Franchise tags are fully guaranteed, meaning Odighizuwa would carry a $25.1 million cap hit for next season if he plays on the tag. Nobody wants that.
While Odighizuwa's new deal will be significant - Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is hearing he could earn $22.5 million per year - an extension would allow the front office to get creative in terms of mitigating his cap hits over the length of the deal, whether it be adding void years or front-loading his guarantees.
If the Cowboys do tag Odighizuwa it would be the first time since 2023 (Tony Pollard) that they applied the franchise tag on an impending free agent. However, it would be the seventh time in eight years they used it.
Tony Pollard and Dalton Schultz did not sign long-term deals with the team. Dak Prescott (2020 and '21) and DeMarcus Lawrence (2018 and '19), were tagged twice, but inked extensions after their second tags.
There is no reason to think Odighizuwa will play 2025 on the tag. It's still possible a deal gets done before Tuesday's deadline. All it would do is give the front office more time to negotiate and prelude the 26-year-old star from negotiating with other teams.
It's a no-brainer movw if there ever was one.
