Osa Odighizuwa, Cowboys Working on New Contract Ahead of NFL Free Agency, HC Says

The Dallas Cowboys and Osa Odighizuwa are negotiating a new deal that would bring the defensive tackle back for a fifth season with the franchise, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Thursday.

"There's a lot of ongoing conversations," Schottenheimer said at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis (h/t Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.) "Osa has done a terrific job for us. He's a terrific young player. He does everything right.

"As those communications keep going, it's never done 'til it's done, but he'd be a guy we'd love to have back."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport meanwhile reported Thursday he believes the Cowboys "are not particularly close" to finding common ground in negotiations with Odighizuwa.

"But they're working to try and somehow get this done," Rapoport concluded.

Odighizuwa, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of UCLA, has missed just one game in four seasons with the Cowboys.

Last season he recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and 47 total tackles as one the most disruptive interior lineman in Dallas.

He was able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds on 11 percent of pass-rushing snaps, ranking 12th in win rate among defensive tackles, according to ESPN Analytics.

Odighizuwa's market value is projected at $21 million per season by Spotrac. A new contract in that range could make him one of the 15 highest-paid interior defensive linemen in the NFL, according to Over the Cap.

The Cowboys are also reportedly meeting with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, confirmed by his agent to be returning for another season after missing most of the 2025 campaign with a foot injury.

Potentially bringing back both Odighizuwa and Lawrence would be a huge boost for the Cowboys defense heading into the 2025 season.