All 49ers

PFF Says the 49ers Should Sign Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa

The 49ers plan to release starting defensive tackle Javon Hargrave as soon as the new league year starts on March 12. Who will replace him?
Grant Cohn|
Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) reacts to sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (not pictured) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) reacts to sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (not pictured) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers plan to release starting defensive tackle Javon Hargrave as soon as the new league year starts on March 12.

That means they will need a new starting defensive tackle. And they could try to draft a starter with their first-round pick, but their history of drafting defensive tackles is abysmal. Under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, the 49ers have drafted Solomon Thomas, D.J. Jones, Jullian Taylor, Kentavius Street, Javon Kinlaw and Kalia Davis. That's the full list. Not good.

Which means they probably need to sign a defensive tackle. And that's why Pro Football Focus says they should sign Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.

"Over the past two seasons, Osa Odighizuwa has established himself as a reliable interior pass-rusher, earning a 78.0 pass-rush grade in both campaigns," writes PFF analyst Mason Cameron. "He’s totaled over 100 pressures and 10 sacks during that span, showcasing his consistent ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Reports suggest Robert Saleh is a strong contender to return as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, and if he does, addressing a pass rush that ranked 27th in pressures generated will likely be a top priority. Odighizuwa’s proven skill set could make him an ideal fit for the role."

With all due respect to PFF, the 49ers need run defenders in the interior more than they need pass rushers. They already have Yetur Gross-Matos who is an undersized interior rusher like Odighizuwa. A better free-agent signing would be Los Angeles Chargers run-stuffer Poona Ford.

Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.

Published
Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

Share on XFollow grantcohn
Home/News