The Washington Commanders have made massive efforts early in free agency to retool the front seven with a series of signings that rank among the most expensive so far this spring. Their latest isn't as splashy, but the Commanders have signed away a former Chiefs defender once again, this time with the contract given to defensive end Charles Omenihu.
Omenihu landed a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Commanders already signed former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal to a three-year deal worth up to nearly $25 million, including $12.4M in guaranteed money. They're only part of a larger defensive overhaul that includes the acquisitions of edge rusher Odafe Oweh, formerly of the L.A. Chargers, defensive tackle Tim Settle, formerly of the Houston Texans, and edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, who played for the New England Patriots last season.
The Commanders continue to revamp their defensive front with the signing of former Chiefs pass rusher Charles Omenihu.
Omenihu, who is 28 years old, brings seven seasons of experience to Washington's rotation on the edge. He has 23 career sacks, with a career-high of 7 coming in 2023, his first season in Kansas City. Unfortunately, Omenihu has dealt with lingering injuries since the end of that year, when he tore his ACL in the AFC Championship and was forced to miss the Chiefs' victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
Since then, Omenihu has struggled to either stay on the field or effective when available. The return from the ACL injury robbed him of all but 6 games in '24, and an ankle injury nagged him in '25, which kept him to modest totals of 13 quarterback pressures and 3.5 sacks.
Given the lack of impact over the last two years, it's a bit surprising to see Omenihu command that much, but the guess is that incentives make up a considerable amount there. For a team looking for a potential rebound on the edge, Omenihu is a decent enough bet on a veteran player who has been a helpful piece before. If some further distance from the ACL can render him that much healthier, it's possible Washington is reaping the rewards in a remade defensive front.