FRISCO, Texas – Part of being a draft and develop organization is keeping the talent that you draft and develop, and that's exactly what the Cowboys did on Tuesday by signing Osa Odighizuwa to a long-term extension.
After conversations sparked at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Dallas kept one of their priority targets in town for the next four years as an anchor of the middle on the defensive line.
Odighizuwa's coming off the best season of his career thus far, tallying career-highs in tackles (47), sacks (4.5) and finishing second on the team in pressures behind Micah Parsons with 54.
And the best may still be yet to come.
"Just playing in this defense, it's always fun to play in a defense that emphasizes the d-line, especially as a d-lineman and a three technique..." Odighizuwa said. "Playing for a coach that recognizes that and is trying to put that on display and make that the main thing and use that to the full potential is going to be a lot of fun."
In the past, Matt Eberflus hasn't been shy about the fact that three-technique defensive lineman are the "engine" of his defense. He comes from the Rod Marinelli tree after all, which placed the same emphasis on the position. In Odighizuwa, Eberflus gets his three technique in a different way that he's had in years past.
Let's look back to the 2024 season, where Gervon Dexter Sr. handled the three-tech duties for Chicago. While some would argue that's not where he's utilized at his maximum potential, he still had a solid second NFL season with 51 tackles and five sacks.
The key difference between the two is their builds, as Dexter Sr. measures in at 6'6, 312 pounds while Odighizuwa comes in significantly shorter and lighter at 6'2, 280 pounds. The name of the game for three-techs is quickness and explosiveness, and Odighizuwa holds the advantage there over Dexter Sr., which provides some promise for how he'll fit in Eberflus' scheme.
Another key test for Eberflus' scheme will come from Mazi Smith, who is still looking for the big jump that Dallas has hoped they'd see from him since being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Eberflus thinks that he can take his game to the next level in this system.
"Yeah, I'm excited about Mazi," Eberflus said. "I liked him coming out. He's a real explosive athlete, with a big body type that can move really well. Excited about bringing his game to the next level, and he could certainly do that."
With Odighizuwa in the boat for the near future, the Cowboys can also afford to spend one of their higher draft picks on other positions that may be more in need of a higher quality player like wide receiver or running back.
That said, this defensive tackle class provides the opportunity for late value to be added, so Dallas could be set up for a win-win scenario by adding valuable depth at the position too.
Now that one big deal is out of the way for the Cowboys front office, they can continue their quest to keep their best home-grown players in Dallas. That includes extending Micah Parsons, and looking to keep free agents like Jourdan Lewis on the roster in order to keep building towards the future.
