SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Twenty. That is the pathetic number of sacks the San Francisco 49ers recorded in the 2025 season. They finished dead last in the NFL. General Manager John Lynch knew he could not roll into the 2026 campaign with a toothless interior pass rush, and he just pulled the trigger on a massive fix. NFL Network’s Patrick Claybon and Ian Rapoport reported early Wednesday that the 49ers acquired 27-year-old defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick (No. 92 overall).
The Meat of the Story: Inside the Trade Numbers
The 49ers swung for the fences after missing out on free-agent John Franklin-Myers, and they landed a premier disruptor. Odighizuwa brings immediate violence to the trenches. Last season, he racked up 44 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a staggering 23 quarterback hits in 17 games for Dallas. Among all defensive tackles in the league, he ranked first in QB hits and fifth in pass rush win rate (10%). He does not just take up space; he hunts.
For Dallas, this move strictly comes down to dollars and depth. Just last March, the Cowboys handed Odighizuwa a four-year, $80 million contract extension. But after trading for superstars Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams last season, the Dallas defensive tackle room got too crowded. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is transitioning the Cowboys to a 3-4 scheme. Odighizuwa became the odd man out. Dallas clears $16.25 million in base salary for 2026, though they will eat a hefty dead cap charge. The 49ers gladly absorb the contract, locking down a proven veteran through 2028.
“When you finish dead last in sacks, you don’t just sit on your hands. You go get a guy who makes quarterbacks see ghosts. The Niners needed that interior pop, and they just bought it.”— Ian Rapoport, NFL Network Insider on ‘The Insiders’
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
San Francisco just put the rest of the NFC West on notice. Pairing a healthy Nick Bosa with Odighizuwa on the inside creates a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. You could almost feel the tension lift from the 49ers’ front office the second this deal went through. Last season, the 49ers defense suffered through a barrage of injuries and long stretches of sheer exhaustion. Opposing quarterbacks had all day to throw. Now, Odighizuwa steps right into a starting role next to second-year tackles Alfred Collins and C.J. West, bringing an immediate jolt of energy to a weary unit.
The Cowboys suddenly hold three picks inside the top 100 for April’s draft (Nos. 12, 20, and 92). They sacrificed a homegrown talent, but they grabbed vital draft capital to reload their defense. Odighizuwa gets a fresh start in the Bay Area, and the 49ers get the aggressive pocket-wrecker they desperately lacked.
