The 49ers went into the offseason knowing the defense needed a jolt, and so far their trade for Osa Odighizuwa looks like the kind of move that can reshape a front. San Francisco sent a third-round pick to get one of the league’s most durable defensive tackles, and through training camp, the early returns have been hard to miss.
Kyle Shanahan didn’t hold back when asked about Odighizuwa after camp wrapped up.
“It’s been how we were kind of expecting. We knew we were getting a good player," Shanahan stated to reporters.
"And so, we’ve seen that. I didn’t know the type of guy he fully was until we started really hearing it from around the league and people from there, and that’s been cool to go through this whole camp with him.
"He’s exactly how he’s advertised. He’s a true leader.
He goes hard as can be every day. That’s why he gets really annoying for the O-Line just because of how hard he goes.
They’ve been battling all camp. He’s made us better.
I think we’ve made him better, and I’m real excited to have him on our team.”
That kind of praise fits with what the 49ers have seen behind the scenes, too. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris had already pointed to Odighizuwa’s daily routine and the way he attacks his work as two of the first things that stood out.
He’s adjusting to a new system, a new culture and a new environment under Morris, but camp showed he can handle the transition. On the field, he’s looked every bit the part. Off the field, he’s taken everything in stride.
That matters because San Francisco needs him to matter right away. The 49ers finished last season at the bottom of the league in sacks, and the pass rush still doesn’t have a long list of proven difference-makers. With Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams still recovering, Odighizuwa’s job becomes even bigger.
If he can keep giving the 49ers steady interior disruption, he can help ease the burden on the rest of the front. And if the early signs hold, the cost of landing him - a third-round pick, even with the extra draft-day maneuvering involved - could end up looking like one of the sharper trades in the league this year.
For now, San Francisco likes what it has seen. The real test comes next, with 17 regular-season games and, potentially, a playoff run still ahead.
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Jacob Cowing sits right in the middle of that decision. His speed and versatility give him a different kind of value on offense and special teams, but roster construction is rarely that simple this time of year, and what the 49ers keep at one spot can affect how they manage depth elsewhere. With the final 53-man deadline approaching, John Lynch and the front office are left trying to sort out whether Cowings explosive upside is worth the tradeoff in overall balance. [Read more 🡒]