The Dallas Cowboys have made its first big splash of the offseason.
No offense to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, but his hiring didn’t exactly send waves across the league.
However, this one sure will.
Owner Jerry Jones and his son, co-owner and COO Stephen Jones, have re-signed one of its biggest stars on the defensive side of the ball.
No, not Micah Parsons, but rather the criminally underrated Osa Odighizuwa.
The Cowboys inked the big-time defensive tackle to a four-year, $80 million contract with $58 million of it guaranteed.
After Parsons, there may not be a more important player on Dallas’ defense than Odighizuwa.
The disruptive big man in the middle had career highs in sacks (4.5), QB hits (23) and tackles (47) in 2024, while appearing in all 17 games.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Cowboys would have used the franchise tag on Odighizuwa as placeholder to work out a long-term deal.
Similar to what Cincinnati Bengals fans are hoping what happens to Tee Higgins.
Except, Dallas and Odighizuwa’s camp were able to work out the massive deal before the tag deadline, thus not having to tag the DT.
Instead, he is rewarded with a hefty long-term contract, keeping all parties happy.
3 Getting Odighizuwa re-signed was a big priority for the Cowboys front office and they got it doneCredit: Getty
3 Jones has spoken over the years that he is as committed to winning a Super Bowl than he ever has beenCredit: Getty
It is a sight for sore eyes for Cowboys fans.
The Odighizuwa re-signing comes almost a full year after Jones declared that the Cowboys were going to go ‘all-in.’
“We feel great about what we’ve been in free agency,” Jones said, via team transcript.
“All-in. All-in. All-in. We’re all-in with these young guys. We’re all-in with this draft.”
He said that two days before the 2024 draft.
Fast forward a year later, and there haven’t been too many signs of an ‘all-in’ approach.
Most notably, the Cowboys deciding to pass on Derrick Henry in free agency, when running back was a huge position of need for them.
Fans are now hoping the Odighizuwa contract is just the first domino to fall, as all eyes shift towards the all-worldly, Micah Parsons.
It’s time for Jones and the Cowboys to keep its best player on the roster locked in for the foreseeable future, and that’s going to start with a massive contract extension for the four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro.
Fans want to see it happen.
‘Now go get the Micah deal done, Jerry. $20M APY is a solid deal for Osa,’ one fan posted on X.
‘Big deal! Jerry finally realizing that you have to pay your own good players!’ another chimed in.
‘Micah next please,’ one more fan put bluntly.
There is a chance Parsons becomes the highest paid non-quarterback in the league.
If the Jones family gets the Parsons extension done, they will finally start living up to their promises.
Odighizuwa is a start on that promise, but now it’s time to fully deliver.
And that ends with a pen in Parsons’ hand.