When it comes to signing up key pieces of the Cowboys‘ defensive front for the long term, the focus has been, naturally, on getting star defensive end Micah Parsons inked to a long-term deal.

Parsons is heading into the final year of his contract, a fifth-year option at $24 million. But it turns out, interior defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa is just as much in the team’s plans.

In fact, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are hoping to tackle a new deal for Odighizuwa before they get to Parsons.

While reports bubbled up last week that the Cowboys have yet to start talks on Parsons, Stephen Jones, team VP and son of owner Jerry Jones, said that the ball is already rolling on Odighizuwa.

“We have had negotiations with Osa,‘’ Jones said. “I just think Osa is a really good football player. He’s an important piece.”

As David Moore of the DMN wrote, “The Cowboys have begun negotiations with free agent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.

Talks of an extension for Micah Parsons will follow.”

Osa Odighizuwa Should Get $21 Million Per Year

It’s something of a surprise, of course, that the team has decided to prioritize Odighizuwa over Parsons, but the hope is that both get done.

There is more pressure with Odighizuwa, who is a free agent and can get a deal eslewhere.

According to Spotrac, Odighizuwa has a market value of $21 million per year, and is projected to warrant a three-year, $63 million deal.

Pro Football Focus’s projection has Odighizuwa at about the same value, $21.25 million per year. They foresee Odighizuwa getting four years and $65 million, with only the first two years fully guaranteed.

PFF wrote of Odighizuwa, who is the top defensive lineman in free agency this offseason: “Odighizuwa is another interior pass-rusher with very strong underlying metrics that haven’t quite translated to major sack production through nearly four seasons.

While the Dallas Cowboys‘ season fell off the rails as injuries piled up, Odighizuwa stayed the course and played some of the best ball of his career over the second half of the campaign.

The 2021 third-round pick is quietly one of the more underrated defenders across the NFL.”

Cowboys Could Use Franchise Tag

Indeed, according to Pro Football Focus, Odighizuwa rated a grade of 46.9 as a rookie, which ranked 89th out of 108 linemen.

In his second year, he was a 68.2, which was 41st our of 127. Last year, he broke into the Top 20, with a 77.0 grade, which ranked 19th.

This year, he is 24th overall, but has a pass-rush grade of 79.0, which is eighth in the NFL.

The question is, what will the Cowboys be willing to give him.

The team has long been reluctant to use franchise tags to keep young players in place on a short-term deal, but Jones told the paper that is a possibility with Odighizuwa.

A franchise tag would come in at $23.4 million, but for only one year. That would give the Cowboys more time to size up Odighizuwa–but could also be costly if he goes from very good to great in 2025.

“It’s a tool,‘’ said Jones. “It’s something we haven’t ruled out using. We’ll just see how this week goes and how our visits go.”