Wednesday was the official start of NFL free agency, but the Cowboys’ biggest news came in the trade market. They moved both Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas for draft picks, leading to an almost complete overhaul of the defensive linemen from last offseason. New coordinator Christian Parker’s influence appears to already be strong, and it’s quickly becoming apparent that size is a trait he values in the middle of the line.
Why focus on size? Well, let’s look at the moves so far:
Departures Osa Odighizuwa
– 280 lbs (traded to 49ers) Solomon Thomas – 285 lbs (traded to Titans) Perrion Winfrey – 290 lbs (released)
Arrival
Otito Ogbonnia – 320 lbs (signed)
Holdovers
Quinnen Williams – 303 lbs
Kenny Clark – 314 lbs
Jay Toia – 342 lbs
Notice a trend? The Cowboys kept all of their beefiest DLs and added another Paunch Burger in Ogbonnia from the Chargers. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but let’s go a little deeper here.
Yes, Dallas got a third-round pick back for Odighizuwa. That’s not too shabby any year, and especially given that the Cowboys had no Day 2 picks before the deal. It’s even more profitable if they didn’t see Odighizuwa as a great fit anymore with the scheme Parker plans to run. The reported 3-4 move would hurt Odighizuwa: small for a 3-4 DE and not athletic enough to move to OLB. Even if Dallas found creative ways to involve him, is that the best use of what would’ve been nearly $20 million of the salary cap?
As for the lesser moves, Solomon Thomas has 3-4 experience from his time in Robert Saleh’s defenses, which he’s returning to in Tennessee. Perrion Winfrey didn’t, and he’s still a bit undersized for the 3-4 DE role. We scratched our heads when Winfrey was released just before free agency began, but it makes more sense after Odighizuwa’s and Thomas’ exits. The pattern is fairly clear, and it points back to Parker.
As we all know, Parker came from the Eagles. A quick glance at his last stop also helps us see what he’s working towards in Dallas. The Eagles’ starting defensive linemen last year were:
Jordan Davis – 336 lbs
Jalen Carter – 314 lbs
Moro Ojomo – 292 lbs
Again, see the trend? Even the smallest guy, Ojomo, still had 12 pounds on Odighizuwa. And while all of these weights are only what we can gather from teams’ official websites, and probably aren’t entirely accurate, there’s still enough in these numbers to draw a conclusion.
Of course, size isn’t everything. Body types, where guys carry their weight, how much power they generate behind that mass: many things decide actual on-field effectiveness. But as we’re trying to figure out who Christian Parker is, this is quickly becoming a way to identify players he might value over others. Size seems to matter more at DT in his scheme, not just because it’s a 3-4 but also the particular way he wants to run it.
