The Los Angeles Chargers unearthed a gem when they traded for edge rusher Odafe Oweh in October. The problem is, he shined too hard for the Chargers to keep him.
Oweh cashed in as a free agent, signing a four-year, $100 million deal to punch up the Washington Commanders’ 24th-ranked pass rush. He racked up 7.5 sacks in only 10 games with the Chargers after languishing in Baltimore despite a 10-sack 2024. His presence helped give Los Angeles a top-seven sack rate en route to the team’s second-straight postseason appearance.
$100 million is a lot for a player who played less than half the snaps for a flawed Baltimore defense before being dealt. Oweh brings elite athleticism to the field but is largely confined to passing downs. Can he give the Commanders their money’s worth?
The deal: Commanders sign EDGE Odafe Oweh for four years, $100 million ($68 million guaranteed)
Oweh’s 10 sacks in 2024 didn’t tell the whole story, with an 11.8 percent pressure rate suggesting he got a bit lucky. His 7.5 sacks in 2025 go the opposite way; his 15.8 percent pressure rate was a career high and better than players like Aidan Hutchinson, Danielle Hunter or Brian Burns. Now he joins a roster where only only player had more than 5.5 sacks… and it was soon-to-be 37-year-old free agent Von Miller.
Oweh did that as a designated pass rusher. He hasn’t played more than 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps since he was a rookie in 2021. While he cleaned up the point-of-contact sloppiness that kept him off the field on running downs early in his career — zero credited missed tackles as a Charger! — there’s still the fear he’s just got the one gear on the field.
What a gear it is, however. Oweh’s athleticism is absurd. His burst and closing speed are things out of fairy tales. Specifically the messed up Brothers Grimm ones. He may not have hit his ceiling yet, and if that’s the case $25 million annually for a 27-year-old goblin could be an underpay. Still, that’s betting on potential. What we know now is Oweh’s got a high enough floor to be a double-digit sack threat on a regular basis. Now he’s getting paid about the same as Montez Sweat, which feels about right.
Grade: A-
Other free agent signing grades:
- Colts re-sign WR Alec Pierce for a whopping four years and $114 million
- Chiefs make a splash by signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker to revamp backfield
- Dolphins’ rebuild lands on Malik Willis as a worthy QB gamble
- Panthers make 2026’s riskiest bet on Jaelan Phillips’ superstar potential
- Raiders splurge big so Tyler Linderbaum can create space for Ashton Jeanty, Fernando Mendoza
- Saints prep for the end of Alvin Kamara by giving Travis Etienne big money
- 49ers swipe Mike Evans from Bucs to be the adult in their receivers room
- Titans spend big to lure Wan’Dale Robinson south (but not as much as it seems)
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Owafe Oweh cashes in with Commanders: Grade, analysis of $100m deal