The Dallas Cowboys have reached an agreement to extend standout defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. The new deal will keep Odighizuwa in Dallas for four years, valued at $80 million, with $58 million guaranteed.

After finalizing his new contract and securing financial stability for his family, Odighizuwa was all smiles as the reality sank in. “It’s awesome, you know what I mean? I love Dallas, love playing for this organization, love being a Cowboy,” Odighizuwa said, according to Patrik Walker of dallascowboys.com.

“So the fact that I get to do it for another four years, and I get a very, very large pay increase to do it… It’s not that I wasn’t already happy doing the work, but I’m just going to have an even bigger smile on my face when I come to the building [every day],” Odighizuwa added.

The Cowboys aim to retain key defenders in Dallas

Odighizuwa was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2021 draft. The team had always intended to negotiate a long-term contract and would have used the franchise tag to keep him if necessary. However, they avoided that route, which would have cost $25.1 million for the 2025 season. With the new extension, Odighizuwa will now earn $20 million annually.

“I can now look at my mom and be like, ‘You never have to work again,’” Odighizuwa, who had his mother with him during the contract signing, said, per dallascowboys.com. “That’s really what this has all been about, you know? So being able to do that, man, it’s still kind of registering. It doesn’t even feel real at this point. I’m just kind of soaking it in.”

While Cowboys’ CEO Stephen Jones suggested a quiet offseason due to financial constraints, Dallas has been active leading up to free agency. The team restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, freeing up nearly $57 million in cap space.

Though the Cowboys may be preparing to pursue a big-name free agent, the focus will shift to retaining their own players. With Odighizuwa secured, Dallas will now focus on finalizing a deal with Micah Parsons.

Parsons, who is set to play out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, has expressed willingness to take less money if it means being surrounded by strong teammates. The Cowboys need to complete an extension that ensures Parsons remains in Dallas for the long term.