Cowboys fans love Osa Odighizuwa and I do too. The motor, the effort, the flashes of interior pressure. He became one of those players you enjoy rooting for every Sunday.
But this is the thing, when you really start looking into the trade value conversations around Osa, something stood out.
The Dallas Cowboys were never getting more than a third-round pick for him.
Not because Osa Odighizuwa isn’t good, but because of how the NFL values interior defensive tackles and because of how Dallas appears to be building its defensive front under defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Just step back and look at the full picture, the move actually makes a lot of sense.
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa celebrating with teammates before being traded for a 3rd-round pick
The NFL Trade Market for Defensive Tackles
I found that interior defensive tackles rarely command huge trade packages unless they completely dominate games.
We’re talking elite tier defensive tackles. Was Osa Odighizuwa elite?
Players like Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, and Quinnen Williams get those types of packages.
Those players force double teams every snap and completely change offensive game plans.
Osa Odighizuwa is a strong player and an effective interior rusher, but he doesn’t stop the run at all.
We all know he’s a penetrating defensive tackle, not a dominant anchor that shuts down the run game.
Those types of players typically bring back Day 2 draft compensation, which is exactly what the Cowboys got.
New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker coaching on the sideline in Philadelphia Eagles gear
Christian Parker Has a Type
When you start studying defensive fronts built in systems Christian Parker has been around, a pattern develops.
The formula he is using is simple: mass in the middle and speed off the edge.
Big defensive tackles collapse the pocket and control the middle. Then lighter defensive ends attack quarterbacks from the outside.
Look at these defensive tackles built for just that style.
These players are the type used for the structure that is becoming increasingly popular across the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams walking on the field
Look at What the Cowboys Already Have at Defensive Tackle
This is the piece of the puzzle that really shifted my perspective.
When I looked at the Cowboys defensive tackle room after the Osa Odighizuwa and Soloman Thomas trade, the direction Dallas is going became pretty obvious.
They have some serious size in the middle.
Just one look at the size of these guys goes to show you that is not a finesse defensive line.
That is a wall in the middle of the defense.
You’ve got an elite interior disruptor and run stopper in Quinnen Williams, another disruptor and run stopper in Kenny Clark, a massive run-plugger in Jay Toia, and a powerful player in Otito Ogbonnia.
It doesn’t take a defensive genius to see this is a group built to control the line of scrimmage and collapse the pocket from the inside out.
Once I saw that roster construction, the Osa Odighizuwa trade looked much better.
Let Christian Parker Cook
When I zoom out and look at the bigger picture, I actually like the direction Dallas appears to be going.
Big tackles collapsing the pocket and quick defensive ends attacking the edge. That combination can make life miserable for opposing offenses.
If the defensive line develops the way it looks on paper, Cowboys fans may eventually realize something.
The Cowboys didn’t misjudge Osa Odighizuwa’s trade value. They simply committed to building a different kind of front.
And right now, where I’m sitting, I’m perfectly letting Christian Parker cook.