49ers land – San Francisco’s offseason move to acquire defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa for a third-round pick has drawn praise from an NFC rival—especially after Dallas moved on from him amid a full defensive overhaul. The 49ers are now shaping a tougher interior front for
When the 49ers walked away from the 2025 season with a surprising playoff win despite major injuries. it looked like something clicked—then it disappeared into the offseason. Now, the roster is being rebuilt with a clear edge. San Francisco has added new talent and is preparing for another push toward the Super Bowl in 2026.
The latest domino came from the Dallas side of the story. One NFC rival executive—talking in the aftermath of San Francisco acquiring defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa for just a third-round pick earlier this offseason—called the deal a rare mix of football fit and value.
“Good player, perfect scheme fit, good pricing, excellent contract to inherit,” the executive said.
Odighizuwa had been a member of the Cowboys, who signed him to a four-year extension worth $80 million during the 2025 offseason. But Dallas decided he was no longer part of what it wanted defensively. After the Cowboys “completely overhaul their entire defensive unit. ” Odighizuwa became expendable—turning his market into an opening the 49ers could strike.
San Francisco’s appeal is obvious in what Odighizuwa brings on the field. He’s described as an iron man through five NFL seasons, missing just one game in his career. The style matters too. He’s stout against the run, and he still has enough juice to collapse the pocket on passing plays. His sack total—17 career sacks—doesn’t tell the whole story, because his specialty is creating pressure inside the pocket.
That role is expected to sharpen in San Francisco. The 49ers are expected to use Odighizuwa as a starting defensive end next to C.J. West and nose tackle Alfred Collins. The fit is meant to steady the interior of San Francisco’s defensive line. a stabilizing move that could free up space for Nick Bosa and others to make plays.
The picture coming into the 2026 season is built on a simple contrast: Dallas paid for Odighizuwa with an $80 million four-year extension during the 2025 offseason. then moved on after reshaping its defense. San Francisco. meanwhile. gets him for a third-round pick and can build around his ability to hold up and pressure the quarterback from the middle of the front.
How well Odighizuwa adjusts to the 49ers’ defense this fall will determine whether the deal becomes a footnote—or another reason the team believes it can go deep again. If he thrives, San Francisco could look like it found a steal for the cost of only a third-round pick.
San Francisco 49ers Osa Odighizuwa Dallas Cowboys Nick Bosa C.J. West Alfred Collins NFL offseason defensive tackle trade 2026 Super Bowl