Dallas Cowboys got a great deal in the long-term extension with Osa Odighizuwa
The Dallas Cowboys aren't known as a team that gets deals done early or even on time. They have a long track record of waiting too long to get deals done, but not this time.
According to multiple NFL reports, the Cowboys have reached a contract extension with veteran defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa just days before free agency opens across the NFL.
Cowboys get major value with Osa Odighhizuwa extension
The early reports of the deal show that Dallas and Odighizuwa have agreed to a four-year deal that is worth up to $80 million. While the exact terms and conditions aren't yet known, Odighizuwa has $58 million in total guarantees and will get a nice $20 million dollar signing bonus. Both numbers are signficantly lower than what the top defensive tackles received on the open market last year.
The most comparable deal would be Christian Barmore's extension with the Patriots, where he received $84 million over four years in April 2024. But despite the cap rising in 2025, Odighizuwa still received less money per year. The difference is the guaranteed money ($58M for Odighizuwa compared to $41.8M for Barmore), but this is still a major win for Dallas.
One of the many reasons why this deal works for Dallas is that the overall money per year is significantly lower than the $25.1 million dollar franchise tag. The expectation around the NFL was that the Cowboys would tag Odghizuwa on Tuesday if a long-term deal wasn't reached. And if they were forced to tag him again in 2026, they would be paying nearly $30 million a season for a player that they wanted to sign to a long-term deal.
Odgihizuwa is now the 15th highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL, according to OverTheCap.com. He is only expected to fall further down that list, especially with Milton Williams set to hit free agency. Odgizuwa is an ascending pass rusher who has missed just one start in his NFL career. But what's more encouraging is that he led all interior defensive linemen in quarterback hits in 2024 despite Dallas having a down year on defense.
The Cowboys needed to lock up Odgihizuwa to an extension and they got it done on a number that makes sense for both sides. Look for Dallas to lower his Year 1 cap hit in order to keep his salary done and push most of the money to the 2027 and 2028 seasons when the cap will continue to rise. This will ensure that they have enough money to retain their own free agency and possibily enough to target a few outside free agents, as well.
Expect Dallas to turn their attention to the likes of Jourdan Lewis, Rico Dowdle and Chauncey Golston with just a few days left before free agency. But this was their most pressing contract and they got it done at a very fair deal for both sides. For the first time in years, the Cowboys finally get a deal done sooner rather than later.
