The Dallas Cowboys trading away Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers was a surprise in itself.

He was one of the most consistent defensive tackles in the four seasons he spent at the AT&T Stadium.

When ESPN reviewed each team’s free agency deals, a surprising detail had emerged in the deal. The 49ers were initially offering a Day 3 draft pick in exchange for Odighizuwa, as they thought the Cowboys were trading to clear their cap space.

In a surprising turn of events, the Cowboys made a U-turn on their stance and wanted to keep Odighizuwa on the roster. That shift in intention made the 49ers improve their offer and send a Day 2 pick to the Cowboys.

The Cowboys gained a valuable Day 2 pick after this, which was lacking due to their earlier trades. This was a classic leverage play by the Cowboys, and they essentially “forced” the 49ers into sending a better offer.

Osa Odighizuwa quietly established himself as one of the Cowboys’ key players over the years. Drafted in 2021, his imposing presence often created opportunities for edge rushers to press on.  In a career-best 2024 season, he had 4.5 sacks with 47 tackles and 54 pressures.

Over five seasons with the Cowboys, he played in 76 of a possible 84 regular-season games for the franchise, proving his durability and fitness.

While the front office and Jerry Jones may be pleased with their business with the 49ers, not everyone is convinced that this was the right move.

NFL Analyst questions Jerry Jones on Odighizuwa deal

Trading Odighizuwa away to the 49ers was a very questionable decision given how important he was to the interior defensive line.

While the Cowboys were plagued by defensive woes, Odighizuwa was one of their bright spots.

The Athletic’s Jon Machota was puzzled by how Jerry Jones and the front office let go of Odighizuwa and why the fans should be concerned.

“Sending the starting defensive tackle and team captain to San Francisco for a third-round pick was a little bit of a head-scratcher to some,” he said.

Machota further outlined the only way he could look at the trade as a success.

“How this trade is judged will depend on what they end up doing to fill out the defensive roster and how they spend the second-round pick. But, currently, it doesn’t seem like a great idea to trade away a top defender from a team that is lacking in top defenders,” he concluded.

What do you think of the decision to trade away Odighizuwa to the 49ers? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shyam Hari

Edited by

Kalp Thaker