{"id":28704,"date":"2025-02-25T08:08:39","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T08:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28704"},"modified":"2025-02-25T08:08:39","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T08:08:39","slug":"progress-made-cowboys-osa-odighizuwa-move-closer-in-contract-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28704","title":{"rendered":"PROGRESS MADE: Cowboys, Osa Odighizuwa Move Closer in Contract Talks!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Osa Odighizuwa is the Dallas Cowboys’ most important free agent entering the 2025 NFL offseason, and the team and negotiations are underway.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Dallas<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa reacts to sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields. \/ Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Dallas Cowboys\u00a0enter the 2025\u00a0NFL\u00a0offseason with plenty of potential shakeups on the horizon. 25 players, including several key starters, are\u00a0set to hit free agency\u00a0and Dallas can ill-afford to experience a mass exodus.<\/p>\n

Breakout star\u00a0Osa Odighizuwa\u00a0is among the league’s best defensive tackles and one of Dallas’ biggest priorities entering the offseason, with\u00a0former first-round pick Mazi Smith\u00a0as the lone proven identity behind him on the roster.<\/p>\n

If Odighizuwa were to leave, defensive tackle would be a glaring weakness on the roster.<\/p>\n

Luckily for Cowboys Nation, progress is being made.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0<\/em>The Dallas Morning News<\/em>, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones says the team has begun contract negotiations with Odighizuwa.<\/p>\n

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Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. is tackled by Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. \/ Peter Casey-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“We have had negotiations with Osa,” Jones said. “I just think Osa is a really good football player.
\n“He\u2019s an important piece.”<\/p>\n

Jones also noted the Cowboys “haven’t ruled out using” the franchise or transition tag on Odighizuwa. The franchise tag number would be $23.5 million, while the transition tag carries an $18.9 million figure.<\/p>\n

It’s pricey, but the Cowboys need to do everything they can to retain Odighizuwa, especially if hitting the open market leaves him open to being sniped by a division rival like the Washington Commanders.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of big decisions that need to be made over the coming weeks, and Dallas will have time to comb through the details this week in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Osa Odighizuwa is the Dallas Cowboys’ most important free agent entering the 2025 NFL offseason, and the team and negotiations are underway. Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nPROGRESS MADE: Cowboys, Osa Odighizuwa Move Closer in Contract Talks! - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=28704\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PROGRESS MADE: Cowboys, Osa Odighizuwa Move Closer in Contract Talks! - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Osa Odighizuwa is the Dallas Cowboys’ most important free agent entering the 2025 NFL offseason, and the team and negotiations are underway. 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