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The Cowboys are experiencing some backlash for a questionable move.
The Dallas Cowboys have made several moves that have been celebrated during NFL free agency, but there have also been a few questionable decisions along the way. One of these moves involved trading Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick.
Despite the Cowboys’ defensive woes, Odighizuwa had been one of the team’s few bright spots on a struggling unit. The Athletic’s Jon Machota outlined why Cowboys fans should be concerned about the decision to cut ties with Odighizuwa.
“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,” Machota wrote in a March 16, 2026, story titled, “Cowboys free-agency breakdown: 5 best moves, biggest remaining questions.”
“How this trade is judged will depend on what they end up doing to fill out the defensive roster and how they spend the third-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.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Cowboys news.
The Cowboys Wanted to Move on From Osa Odighizuwa’s $80 Million Contract
The Cowboys were clearly motivated to move on from Odighizuwa’s four-year, $80 million contract, which is slated to go through the 2028 season. Dallas’ defensive tackle spot had suddenly become very expensive with Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark.
Owner Jerry Jones pointed to spreading the resources out at other positions as a major factor in striking the trade.
“(Odighizuwa) has such high character,” Jones explained, per Sports Illustrated. “He’s done such an amazing job in his career. You could say, ‘Well, aren’t you going the wrong way when people of his quality, his caliber, aren’t on the team?’
“But that’s the reason we were able to get what we thought was a really beneficial result for the team. We got the (third-round pick and it) will be very helpful to us. And also lets us put those resources that we’re going to spend there in some other spots we need help.”
Could the Cowboys Still Trade for Raiders Star Maxx Crosby?
With the Baltimore Ravens vetoing the team’s blockbuster trade for Maxx Crosby, there have been conflicting reports on the Cowboys’ interest level in resuming talks with the Las Vegas Raiders. Dallas has been hesitant to give up two first-round picks for Crosby.
“We’re pretty far down the road relative to what our plans are,” Jones said of a possible Crosby trade, per NFL.com. “So while I don’t anticipate it, I don’t want to rule anything out.”
Jones may not have ruled out a potential deal, but all signs point to the Cowboys moving on to other options. This is especially true with Dallas acquiring Gary.
“The Cowboys don’t plan on engaging again,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz detailed on March 10. “They did the trade for Rashan Gary and are ready to welcome him to Dallas.”
Dallas is estimated to have more than $15 million in cap space remaining, per Spotrac.