Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are once again facing scrutiny for a head-scratching Osa Odighizuwa trade that sent one of their most productive defensive linemen to an NFC rival. In return, Dallas received a third-round pick in 2026 (92nd overall). Although Jones shared his reasons, not everyone in the league agrees that parting with 17 career sacks and 216 tackles was a good idea.

“As for the Cowboys, there is something amusing about their quest to improve at defensive tackle,” ESPN analyst Seth Walder wrote in his article. “They used two massive trades — the Micah Parsons deal that netted them Kenny Clark and the acquisition of Quinnen Williams at the deadline — but are now opting to send away Odighizuwa, a good player and the youngest of the three.”

“I would actually argue that they are trading the wrong player.”

Last season, Odighizuwa only had 3.5 sacks with the Cowboys, but other numbers tell a different story. His ability to win pass rushes was in the top 16% of defensive tackles, and he ranked better than 66% of defensive tackles in pressuring the quarterback.

This kind of impact has been consistent throughout his career. In 2024, he also ranked well, being in the top 24% for pass rush wins and the top 15% for pressure rates in his position.

“Odighizuwa is three years younger than Clark and outperformed him in both win rates and run stop rate last season,” Walder wrote. “Last season, Odighizuwa’s pass rush win rate at defensive tackle ranked well ahead of Clark’s (62nd percentile). His pressure rate was higher, too, and Clark was well below average at run stop rate. And Clark costs almost $5 million more this year.”

Drafted by the Cowboys in 2021, the tackle has spent his NFL career in Dallas, recording 34 tackles for loss and 81 quarterback hits. At just 27 years old, he stands out as one of only seven players in the league to achieve at least 23 quarterback hits in each of the last two seasons.

Because of those factors, Walder graded the trade as a “C+.”

Osa Odighizuwa was not the only player tied to criticism in Seth Walder’s recent evaluations. The ESPN analyst also aimed at the Cincinnati Bengals for handing a two-year, $26 million deal to defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, slapping the move with a harsh D grade. Walder argued the numbers simply do not justify the price anymore, with just 3.5 sacks last season. For a player now 31, Walder believes Cincinnati is paying for past reputation rather than current production.

Still, Jerry Jones believes the move still fits the Cowboys’ long-term plan, and he remains confident the decision will make sense for America’s Team moving forward.

Jerry Jones explains why the Cowboys moved on from Osa Odighizuwa

Last March, the Dallas Cowboys invested heavily in defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, giving him a four-year, $80 million contract with $39 million guaranteed right away and $52 million total guaranteed. Naturally, fans were shocked when Jerry Jones chose to trade him during free agency.

However, this week Jones shared his point of view, despite being under fire for the decision by the ESPN writer Seth Walder, as well as some fans.

“We needed to spread it around a little bit on what we have available to us with (the salary cap),” Jones said. “More importantly, we can put it in some places that probably get more mileage out of what it’s done. That’s not taking anything away from him individually, but we’ve got two outstanding football players (Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark), we have other backup players, plus we don’t want to rule out drafting a player. So, we thought that was the best move.”

Another reason this trade makes sense is because of the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator. Christian Parker wants to incorporate 3-4 schemes into the defense. In this new setup, Odighizuwa’s size becomes a concern.

Standing about 6 feet 2 inches and weighing around 280 pounds, he may not fit the typical mold for a traditional 4i defensive end, and he isn’t a natural fit as an edge linebacker either.

That being said, Odighizuwa excels in different areas. He is best as a dynamic 3-technique who quickly targets one gap and disrupts the quarterback’s space. While this style allows him to pressure quarterbacks effectively, it hasn’t always led to strong run defense.