San Francisco 49ers Purchase Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa to Enhance Cross Rush for 2026 NFL Season

The San Francisco 49ers made a decisive transfer to strengthen their protection, buying defensive deal with Osa Odighizuwa from the Dallas Cowboys in change for a 2026 third-round choose (No. 92). The commerce comes after normal supervisor John Lynch emphasised in the course of the NFL Scouting Combine that bettering the workforce’s move rush was the franchise’s prime offseason precedence.

The Brandon Aiyuk departure is just not but over, however the current commerce is already controversial for some followers and analysts.

Odighizuwa’s Impact on the 49ers Defense

According to ESPN, the San Francisco 49ers struggled defensively final season, ending final within the NFL with solely 20 sacks and rating close to the underside in pressures and move rush win price. Odighizuwa brings confirmed inside disruption, main all defensive tackles in quarterback hits in 2025.

While he recorded 3.5 sacks final season, his five-year profession totals embody 81 quarterback hits and a 11.5% move rush win price, rating tenth amongst defensive tackles.

San Francisco hopes he’ll present the inside “pop” the protection lacked, becoming a member of Alfred Collins and C.J. West to type a stronger defensive entrance.

Contract and Salary Cap Details

Odighizuwa stays beneath contract via 2028, with a completely assured $16.25 million base wage in 2026 and $20 million salaries in each 2027 and 2028. The Dallas Cowboys will take in $16 million in lifeless cash from the deal however create $4.75 million in wage cap area.

Despite present process minor elbow surgical procedure earlier within the offseason, Odighizuwa is anticipated to be prepared for the 49ers’ offseason program.

Cowboys’ Roster Moves Behind the Trade

Dallas made the transfer whereas managing a crowded line of defense after buying Quinnen Williams final season. The workforce additionally traded Solomon Thomas to Tennessee and restructured Kenny Clark’s contract to take care of cap flexibility.

With the commerce, the Dallas Cowboys now maintain three top-100 draft picks, Nos. 12, 20, and 92, giving them further flexibility for a much-needed roster rebuild.

As for some NFL analysts, buying and selling away Odighizuwa is a transfer “out of desperation.” Because of that, CBS Sports’s Garrett Podell mentioned that the deal solely bought C-plus grade, in consequence.