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Who needs Myles Garrett when you can pair Osa Odighizuwa with Nick Bosa?
The San Francisco 49ers are hopeful that their prized defensive offseason acquisition can pick up where he left off with the Dallas Cowboys the past two seasons. Odighizuwa led all defensive tackles in pressures in 2024. Last year, Odighizuwa was once again near the top of the leaderboard. He finished fourth among all defensive linemen with 20 quarterback knockdowns.
Odighizuwa walks into an appetizing situation for any defensive tackle. He gets to play alongside Bosa. Unlike Javon Hargrave, Osa has a wingspan that should allow him to be a better fit in today’s NFL. Odighizuwa’s availability might be his best skill, and one the 49ers desperately need from a player they’re invested heavily in.
Basic Info
Age: 28
Experience: 5 accrued seasons
Height: 6’2
Weight: 279 pounds
Cap Status
2026 is a bargain season for the 49ers. Osa Odighizuwa will make $1,715,000 in base salary with a $2,907,000 prorated signing bonus and $2,215,000 of guaranteed money with a $500,000 per game roster bonus. His cap number is $5,122,000, which takes up 1.5% of the 49ers’ salary cap.
The next two years are at a $20,000,000 base salary with the same prorated signing bonus, but his number against the cap rises to $23,407,000, which counts for 7.2% and 6.6% of the cap. The rest of the contract is void years.
How does Odighizuwa fit with the defensive line?
The 49ers’ defensive line has missed the presence of a pass rusher from defensive tackle since the departures of DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. When the 49ers drafted Javon Kinlaw, the organization hoped they found its long-term answer. Javon Hargrave was brought in as a free agent, but the results didn’t match the contract.
Now, Odighizuwa is the best chance for the 49ers to have a productive pass rusher from the inside. With 21 sacks in his career, Odighizuwa enjoyed his best season in 2024 with 60 pressures, seven sacks, 14 QB hits, and 39 hurries. The former Dallas Cowboy ranked eighth in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 18.4% in true pass (no screens or play action) sets in 2025. Overall, Odighizuwa ranked seventh in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 13.6%, right behind Dexter Lawrence.
What are realistic expectations for Odighizuwa in 2026?
Playing every down in run support and as a pass rusher will allow the 49ers’ youngsters, C.J. West and Alfred Collins, to play more complementary roles and develop, but pass rushing is the name of the game. A lineup of Nick Bosa, Odighizuwa, Mykel Williams, and either Romello Height or Keion White will allow the 49ers to have a solid rotation of pass rushers with fresh legs.
2026 is all about bang for your buck with Odighizuwa and his contract, but next season will be where the defensive tackle has to have a huge season as his contract numbers go up.
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