Understandably, the San Francisco 49ers' free-agent pickup of All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans headlined general manager John Lynch's list of offseason moves. Anytime a team adds a future Hall of Famer, it's a big get.
But the trade with the Dallas Cowboys for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa might actually end up being the most important.
The Niners unquestionably needed wide receiver help during the offseason. Yet their biggest need was in the pass-rush department after finishing with an NFL-low 20 sacks. True, losing defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams to season-ending ACL tears didn't help. But it's fair to state the entirety of San Francisco's defensive line underwhelmed in 2025.
The 27-year-old Odighizuwa has never been a true sack specialist, totaling just 17 over his five-year tenure in Dallas. Instead, he's an interior disruptor, frequently drawing double-team efforts and freeing up outside pass-rushers for more one-on-one matchups.
For fans of the 2010s 49ers squads, think defensive end Justin Smith to the late great edge rusher, Aldon Smith.
That kind of presence might end up being the biggest factor in getting the Niners pass rush, and their defense overall, back on track.
Osa Odighizuwa could turn around 49ers defense almost single-handedly
New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is going to emphasize pressure, and 49ers Webzone's Marc Adams pointed out how Odighizuwa is almost automatically going to make Bosa's life as an outside pass-rusher that much easier:
Odighizuwa has quietly become one of the NFL's better interior disruptors, consistently generating quarterback pressures that don't always show up in sack totals. Now imagine him lining up next to Bosa. Quarterbacks stepping up to avoid Bosa could find Odighizuwa waiting. Quarterbacks sliding away from Odighizuwa could drift directly into Bosa.
It's the kind of complementary relationship Morris has built before.
On top of that, The Landry Hat's Jerry Trotta shared insight into what the defensive tackle meant for Dallas' defense:
Odighizuwa's quick first step and relentless motor are the keys to his success. Even when he doesn't finish with a sack, his ability to generate pressure up the middle speeds up a quarterback's internal clock and creates opportunities for edge rushers to finish what he started. Odighizuwa was one of the NFL's more disruptive interior pass rushers before Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams arrived in Dallas, proving he can produce regardless of the talent around him. With the support of Nick Bosa, Alfred Collins, and Mykell Williams, Osa should feast with the 49ers, as much as it pains me to admit.
Indeed, Odighizuwa has made his mark via the pressure game, notching at least 30 in each of the last two years. Assuming he's currently in his prime, there's no reason to assume that number dips despite his new surroundings.
On top of positively impacting the outside pass rush, Odighizuwa could equally unlock second-year defensive tackle Alfred Collins, the Niners' second-round pick from 2025 who flashed promise but ultimately underwhelmed in the bigger picture.
With Collins no longer needing to be the primary interior anchor and disruptor (that's Odighizuwa's job now), the former should be allowed to simplify his game and hone his still-developing skill set.
In taking pressure off both Collins and Bosa, Odighizuwa should already turn San Francisco's D-line from a liability into a strength, and if the interior defender winds up maximizing his prowess under Morris, it'll be exponentially better.
And that could ultimately mean Odighizuwa winds up being the 49ers' best offseason pickup.
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