The 49ers have made another splash move, and Osa Odighizuwa has the kind of high upside alongside sustained performance that makes this a savvy high-floor, high-ceiling move in a position of need.
Osa Odighizuwa wasn't a name that was exactly linked to the San Francisco 49ers in the trade market, but that changed in a hurry when news broke that the team had called the Dallas Cowboys in an attempt to gauge a price for the defensive tackle.
The rumors turned out to be more than that, with the news that the Niners would be sending over a 2026 third-round selection to bring in Odighizuwa.
Bringing in Odighizuwa immediately provides an upgrade in a big position of need. It's easy to look at a statsheet and question why someone who had only 3.5 sacks in 2025 is worth it, but we need to look a little deeper to see why this move is a savvy one for San Francisco.
Read More:Winners and losers from 49ers' stunning Osa Odighizuwa trade with Cowboys
Why this trade is such a good one for the 49ers
One of the core tenets of a pass rush in the NFL is that quarterbacks hate pressure up the middle much more than they do from the edge. Quarterbacks aren't able to move up into the pocket, and that goes a long way toward creating an elite defensive line.
Having 3.5 sacks doesn't leap up on the screen, but Odighizuwa is one of the elite when it comes to going after the quarterback. In the last two seasons, he's recorded 112 quarterback pressures, which is the third-most in the NFL at defensive tackle, and that goes with 46 quarterback hits and eight sacks in that same timeframe.
Odighizuwa isn't as good a run defender, but San Francisco doesn't need him to do that with Alfred Collins and C.J. West looking like they can fill that role quite well. This frees Odighizuwa to tee off on the quarterback and greatly improve a pass rush that only had 20 sacks last year, and it isn't just raw numbers because his efficiency leaps off the screen too with his pass-rush win rate.
New #49ers' DT Osa Odighizuwa was #11 in defensive pressures and #7 in pass-rush win rate among all defensive interior pass rushers in 2025.
49ers have Alfred Collins and C.J. West to stop the run and now have Osa to rush the passer, along Mykel Williams from the inside.
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) March 11, 2026
Even the money makes the deal so much sense for the 49ers.
At first glance, it seems like a lot for a pass-rush specialist, but the fact the Niners can cut the deal for no penalty if he doesn't pan out allows so much versatility. And if he does pan out, then the overall number he would stand to earn is by no means prohibitive.
New #49ers DT Osa Odoghizuwa signed a 4-year, $80 million deal with Dallas last year.
SF inherits the following cap numbers:
2026: $16.75 million (fully guaranteed)
2027: $20 million base salary + up to $500k per game roster bonus = $20.5 million cap number
2028: $20 million…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 11, 2026
The only concern one might have is a Day 2 pick could be seen as a bit steep for a guy who isn't as good against the run, but one could also counter that by pointing out that the 49ers simply couldn't go into 2026 without doing something if they want to compete for the Super Bowl. And this deal is much cheaper than a Maxx Crosby trade (yes, even post-failed physical) and cheaper in money than Trey Hendrickson or Jonathan Franklin-Myers.
What the Niners have done is obtained one of the statistically most efficient interior pass-rushers for a fair price both in contract and draft capital, solved one of their most immediate and pressing needs and took someone off a key NFC rival in the process.
And if you still don't think so, I believe that gauging the fans from the other team gives a fair representation and it so happens our friends over at The Landry Hat absolutely despise this deal from a Dallas perspective.
Take that for what you will.