The Cowboys have 2 names that showed up in ESPN’s list of top 50 free agents.
We are about six weeks away from free agency beginning for the Dallas Cowboys and it feels safe to say that we all assume the team will be a wallflower, so to speak. The Cowboys do not believe in spending in free agency and if you are believing anything differently at this point then that is on you. There is more than enough data to prove this, but that is really specific to external free agency.
Some years the Cowboys can be active relative to retaining their own players. This was not necessarily the case last year as they let Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard, Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong… you get the picture. The Cowboys let a number of guys get away.
As far as this year is concerned the Cowboys don’t necessarily have a ton of free agents who are set to command serious attention, but they do have two names who made ESPN’s list of the top 50 free agents.
10. Osa Odighizuwa, DT
2024 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age entering 2025 season: 27
A disruptive defender who can bring energy and impact-play ability to the defensive front, Odighizuwa had 4.5 sacks this season. His 30 pressures were tied with the Jets’ Quinnen Williams for the second most among defensive tackles. Odighizuwa fits best as a 3-technique and can be a pass-rushing threat in nickel fronts.
Fowler’s latest: Teams we’ve talked to think Odighizuwa is the top defensive tackle because of his versatility, durability and pass-rush traits. Washington is a team to potentially watch — coach Dan Quinn has been big fan of Odighizuwa from their Dallas days together.
21. Zack Martin, G
2024 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age entering 2025 season: 34
If Martin returns for a 12th season, he’ll still bring the blend of size (6-4, 315 pounds) and mobility coaches want at the guard position. But he’s not as springy as he used to be, and he can be attacked on his edges. This season, Martin played in only 10 games due to a right ankle injury, and his pass block win rate of 93.7% ranked 15th among guards.
It should be noted that DeMarcus Lawrence and Rico Dowdle each made the list from an honorable mention standpoint, but obviously that is outside of what ESPN feels are the top 50 players.
But Osa Odighizuwa and Zack Martin are getting some attention.
Speaking to Zack Martin feels a little bit easier as he is far closer to the end of his career than Odighizuwa is to his. Martin sort of feels like the player who will either return to the Cowboys on a one-year deal or call it a career. It felt like retirement was around the corner when his season officially ended, but you never know.
Such could be the case for Lawrence too, by the way. He and Martin were drafted in the same class back in 2014 and have given a great deal to the organization. Maybe we see them leave for a one-year deal elsewhere in the name of seeking a title. Who knows.
Odighizuwa is one of the most important offseason decisions that the Cowboys can make. He has long been an underrated player and sharing a draft class with Micah Parsons is probably why. If not for Parsons, it stands to reason that Odighizuwa would have been talked about a lot more nationally.
But Odighizuwa is coming off of his best season as a pro and is one of the true forces that the Cowboys have had along the interior of their defensive line in some time. It is logical to assume that he will follow Dan Quinn like many of the players did in free agency last year, that would truly be the worst possible development here.
For what it’s worth, the front office has spoken recently about wanting to retain Odighizuwa. They have long used jargon like “at the right price” for situations like this and if he has a lot of bidders, that could be the end of the conversation.
The Cowboys will also look to extend free-agent-to-be defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, a homegrown talent whom Jones characterizes as a “priority” in their free-agent course of business, pending Eberflus’ evaluation.
The Jones referenced there by Yahoo was Stephen to be clear and obviously we will hear a lot about his thoughts on this subject in the coming weeks.
Will the Cowboys pay up? History says no.