Cowboys Begin Negotiations With Osa Odighizuwa; Teams Hopes To Retain Jourdan Lewis, Rico Dowdle

Much of the Cowboys’ offseason will center on the Micah Parsons extension situation. The team has other priorities as the new league year approaches, though, and that includes talks with a number of pending free agents.

One of those Osa Odighizuwa. The former third-rounder is currently set to be one of the top defensive tackles in free agency, but there is still time for the Cowboys to work out a deal preventing him from reaching the market. EVP Stephen Jones recently made it clear talks have begun on a second contract for Odighizuwa.

“We have had negotiations with Osa,” Jones revealed during an interview with David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “I just think Osa is a really good football player. He’s an important piece.”

The 26-year-old has started all but four of his 67 career games, collecting 13.5 sacks to date. Improving against the run is a key need for the Cowboys this offseason, and multiple changes in the front seven could be in store as a result. With the chance of a departure to Washington (and thus a reunion with Dan Quinn) looming, it will be interesting to see if an agreement can be reached before the start of the new league year in March.

As for other roster priorities, Jones noted the Cowboys also hope to retain slot corner Jourdan Lewis and lead running back Rico Dowdle. Lewis has spent his entire eight-year career in Dallas, playing out his rookie contract, a three-year deal worth an average of $4.5MM per year and the less lucrative one-year accord signed last March to keep him in place. Approaching his age-30 season, Dallas could make another short-term commitment while DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs remain perimeter starters.

The Cowboys opted for a committee approach early in the 2024 season in particular, and it did not go according to plan. The shift in approach later in the year allowed Dowdle to surpass 1,000 rushing yards while handling by far the heaviest workload of his career, though, something which could help his market value. Dallas ranked 27th on the ground last year, and improving in that department could involve selecting a running back in April’s draft, one which is viewed as being deep at the position. Re-signing Dowdle would nevertheless allow for backfield continuity and at least provide the team with an experienced backup.

Jones added the Cowboys are awaiting a decision from defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on his future. The 33-year-old was limited to just four games last year and is a pending free agent. Lawrence received the franchise tag twice, and his career earnings also include the five- and three-year Cowboys pacts he has played on. After seeing that fellow 2014 draftee Zack Martin intends to retire, Lawrence could do the same; taking that path would leave Dallas in need of at least a depth addition along the edge.

As for Parsons, Jones declined to give a firm timeline on when negotiations for his pending mega-extension will begin. He did say, though, that talks will pick up over the coming weeks as the team navigates the lead-in to free agency while preparing for the draft. Parsons has a case to become the league’s highest-paid defensive player, but before a deal reaching (or approaching) that mark is worked out the Cowboys will look to attain clarity on how their 2025 roster shapes up at several positions.