The Osa Odighizuwa trade buzz turned into a major NFC headline on Wednesday, March 11, after NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the San Francisco 49ers are acquiring the Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle. As of publication, the deal had been reported but not yet formally announced by either club. Earlier Wednesday, reporting indicated San Francisco was one of the teams calling Dallas about Odighizuwa’s availability, so the move fits a need for the 49ers as they continue reshaping the defensive front.

The 49ers are clearly trying to strengthen the middle of their defensive line now, not later, and Odighizuwa gives them an established interior disruptor ahead of the next major roster-building phase. He is also under contract, which makes this more than a short-term rental if the report becomes official. Earlier reporting tied Odighizuwa to a four-year, $80 million deal signed with Dallas in 2025.

UPDATE: The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the 49ers sent a third-round pick to the Cowboys for Odighizuwa.

Key Points

Jordan Schultz reported the 49ers are trading for Osa Odighizuwa.

San Francisco had already been linked to Odighizuwa before the reported move.

Odighizuwa brings proven interior production, with 17 career sacks and 34 tackles for loss.

49ers Trade Cowboys for Osa Odighizuwa

If this deal is finalized as reported, the 49ers are betting on exactly what Odighizuwa does best: create pressure from inside. That matters because interior disruption changes protections, collapses the pocket faster, and makes life easier for edge rushers and linebackers behind the play.

Odighizuwa, a 2021 third-round pick out of UCLA, has appeared in 84 career games and posted 17 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, 81 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles across his Cowboys tenure. Even when the sack total does not jump off the page, the pressure profile and snap-to-snap disruption are what make him valuable.

For San Francisco, the fit is obvious. This is a win-now move that raises the floor of the defensive interior and gives the 49ers another proven body in a conference where winning in the trenches still decides January games.

Osa Odighizuwa PFF

The Osa Odighizuwa PFF angle helps explain why teams kept calling Dallas. Before the 2025 season, PFF highlighted him as a quality interior pass-rusher, noting he had posted a 78.0-plus pass-rush grade in back-to-back seasons. In another 2025 PFF ranking, he was credited with a 78.5 pass-rush grade and placed 12th at his position in that metric.

That is the value add here for the 49ers. This is not just a run-plugging tackle. Odighizuwa’s appeal is that he can push the pocket on passing downs.

Osa Odighizuwa Stats

The career production is steady and credible. Pro-Football-Reference lists him at 17 career sacks, 216 combined tackles, 34 tackles for loss and 84 games played. In 2025 alone, he played all 17 games and finished with 3.5 sacks.

Those totals matter because they show both durability and consistency. He is not a one-year flash addition. He has been a regular starter-level presence on an NFL defensive line for multiple seasons, and that gives the 49ers a dependable answer inside if this reported trade is completed.

Osa Odighizuwa Contract Details

The Odighizuwa contract is a significant part of this reported move. Odighizuwa signed a four-year, $80 million extension with the Cowboys in March 2025, with a $20 million signing bonus and $52 million in total guarantees, according to the team and contract databases. Dallas’ official announcement called it a four-year deal worth a max value of $80 million with $52 million guaranteed, while Over The Cap lists $39 million fully guaranteed at signing and $52 million total guaranteed.

Based on Spotrac’s current breakdown, Odighizuwa is scheduled to carry a $20.75 million cap hit in 2026, with a $16.25 million base salary. His cap number then rises to $24.5 million in 2027 and $24.5 million in 2028, which gives this reported trade real long-term weight beyond just adding an interior pass-rusher for one season.

What happens next?

The next step is simple: wait for official confirmation, compensation details, and any contract implications tied to the move. From there, the bigger story becomes how quickly Odighizuwa can slot into San Francisco’s front and how much this changes the 49ers’ defensive ceiling in 2026.