Four-year veteran defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa has signed a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Odighizuwa, a former third-round pick, spent the entirety of his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Osa Odighizuwa, Dallas Cowboys, Agree to Contract
The 2024 season was one to forget for the Dallas Cowboys, but Osa Odighizuwa played well despite the turmoil. Starting and appearing in all 17 games, the defensive tackle finished the final year of his rookie contract with 4.5 sacks, 47 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, 23 quarterback hits, and a 68.1 PFF grade, the 31st-best mark of 118 eligible players. Unfortunately, despite his reliable play, the Cowboys missed the playoffs and moved on from head coach Mike McCarthy following the season.
Osa Odighizuwa originally entered the league as a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Selected by the Dallas Cowboys, the UCLA product immediately saw the field but struggled with consistency. Playing in all 16 games while making 12 starts, the rookie finished his inaugural season with two sacks, 36 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, 11 quarterback hits, and an underwhelming 46.9 PFF grade. Dallas went 12-5 during this campaign but lost in the Wild Card Round to the San Francisco 49ers.
Odighizuwa returned to the starting lineup in 2022 and dramatically improved in Year 2. Starting in all 17 games, the veteran recorded four sacks, 43 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and 11 quarterback hits to go along with a 68.2 PFF grade. Once again, the Cowboys made the playoffs but suffered a season-ending loss to the 49ers. However, this time they made it to the NFC Divisional Round after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card.
Osa Odighizuwa continued his linear growth in 2023, helping to solidify a strong interior defensive line as the Cowboys won the NFC East and finished with the number two seed in the conference. Unfortunately, this strong regular season couldn’t translate to the playoffs, as Dallas went one-and-done to the Green Bay Packers.
Since signing his rookie contract, Osa Odighizuwa has recorded 13.5 sacks, 172 tackles, 28 tackles-for-loss, and 58 quarterback hits.
Main Photo: Kevin Jairaj – Imagn Images
