The Dallas Cowboys intend to place a franchise tag on defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa if they cannot agree to a long-term contract with the defensive tackle by Tuesday, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
NFL teams have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4 to place a franchise tag on their free-agent players.
A franchise tag would guarantee Odighizuwa a $25.1 million salary for 2025, the average of the five highest salaries from last season at his position. Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs is the league’s highest-paid defensive tackle at $34.85 million for 2025, according to Spotrac. Fourteen players at the position have an average annual salary of at least $20 million, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Odighizuwa, who will turn 27 before the 2025 campaign, compiled 4.5 sacks and 47 tackles in 17 games last season. He was credited with five tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits.
In his four seasons, Odighizuwa has not missed a game, playing in all 67 for which he was available with 63 starts. He has averaged 3.4 sacks, 44 tackles and seven tackles for loss during his career. Odighizuwa was the Cowboys’ third-round selection (No. 75 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft out of UCLA, where he played four years.
Dallas last used the franchise tag in 2023 on Tony Pollard for $10.1 million. He left via free agency before last season, signing with the Tennessee Titans.
In addition to Odighizuwa, the Cowboys are also attempting to work out new deals with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and linebacker Micah Parsons. The team expects to lose Lawrence, who expects to get more in free agency than what the Cowboys can offer, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Meanwhile, Dallas has a year to work out a new deal with Parsons after picking up his fifth-year option for $21.32 million. However, the team has not begun contract talks with the star outside linebacker. Earlier this week at the NFL scouting combine, new Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said negotiations are “a two-way street.”
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