FRISCO — Heading into the offseason many presumed the Dallas Cowboys had reached the end of the road with Osa Odighizuwa. But instead, the road is just now being paved.
Odighizuwa has proven a model of consistency since joining the team in 2021 and has not missed a game the last three seasons. Nothing about a potential Cowboys decision reflected anything about him.
But the team's overtly restrained efforts last spring and summer after claiming they were "all in" for the 2024 season soured the hopes for some regarding much spending this time around.
That vibe changed this past week when reports surfaced that the team had begun discussions with Odighizuwa. Those positive talks progressed throughout the week and sources told CowboysCountry.com that a deal was "very close'' to being completed.
But the deadline to use the franchise tag - at least as a placeholder in order to retain the rights to a player - is Tuesday .
And here we are. Dallas has been unable to reach a deal with Odighizuwa.
And so the team will today "likely'' officially utilize the $25.1 million franchise tag on the defensive tackle, per NFL.com's visit with Osa's agents.
Some are misunderstanding this as “shocking'' and in conflict with the idea that a deal is "very close.'' But in fact, both storylines can be true.
Indeed, in a sense, the tag can be a positive indicator that the Cowboys have a strong desire to bring Odighizuwa back.
He tallied 47 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season, continuing his outstanding play on the Cowboys' defensive line.
