NFC Notes: Osa Odighizuwa, Commanders Free Agency, Cowboys, Giants Draft Meetings

Commanders

Ben Standig of The Athletic wrote an article outlining what his 10-step plan for the Commanders would be this offseason.

• First, Standig would move on from DT Jonathan Allen to save $16.47 million in cap space due to the presence of Daron Payne and Jer’Zhan Newton.
• Standig would then get an extension done for WR Terry McLaurin to lower his 2025 salary cap figure and keep QB Jayden Daniels‘ top weapon around.
• In free agency, Standig would re-sign TE Zach Ertz, WR Noah Brown and LB Bobby Wagner while pursuing Cowboys DT Osa Odighzuwa.
• On the offensive line, Standig says Washington should move Brandon Coleman from OT to center and restructure OT Andrew Wylie‘s contract. 
• Standig names 49ers S Talanoa Hufanga, Rams WR Cooper Kupp, Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence and Chiefs WR Marquise Brown as veteran targets the Commanders should pursue. 
• Finally, Standig wants Washington to acquire an outside cornerback, a running back and use the draft for linemen. 

Cowboys

Dallas’ top free agent this offseason is DT Osa Odighizuwa, who is projected to command north of $20 million per season according to PFF. New Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer raved about Odighizuwa and would love to see him return to Dallas. 

“I think there’s a lot of ongoing conversations,” Schottenheimer said, via Nick Eatman of the team’s website. “Obviously Osa has done a terrific job for us. “He’s a terrific young player. He does everything right and as those communications keep going, it’s never done until it’s done. But he’d be a guy we’d love to have back.”

With CB Jourdan Lewis and DE DeMarcus Lawrence also set to hit free agency, Schottenheimer touched on ensuring to retain their key players before dipping into other free agents. 

“We’re always going to start with our guys, We know them, right? We’ve got history with them. We’ve developed those guys. We understand their strengths, their weaknesses, what they bring to the table from a culture standpoint. It all depends on how things go. It’s a very competitive business. It’s a very competitive time of year.”

Giants

• Per Malik Wright, Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer has met with the Giants. 
• Georgia S Malaki Starks had a formal combine interview with the Giants. (Art Stapleton)
• Texas DT Alfred Collins also had a formal combine interview with the Giants. (CJ Vogel)
• Per MLFootball, Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart had an official combine meeting with the Giants. 
• Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson had a formal combine interview with New York, according to Art Stapleton.
• The Giants had a formal meeting with Texas DT Alfred Collins. (Ryan Fowler)