After the Washington Commanders settled their backup QB position and made Laremy Tunsil a richer man, they turned their sights to defense. And the Commanders made a $100 million splash on Odafe Oweh, according to a post on X by Ian Rapoport.
“The #Commanders are signing free agent pass-rusher Odafe Oweh, per me and
@MikeGarafolo. The former #Chargers star gets a 4-year, $100M deal with $68M guaranteed done by @DavidMulugheta of @AthletesFirst.”
A five-year NFL veteran, Oweh has a nice track record. He doesn’t have a Pro Bowl appearance, but totaled 10 sacks in 2024 and added 7.5 last season. He also has 41 quarterback hits over the last two seasons.
Commanders improve defense with DE Odafe Oweh
With an overall grade of 73.7, Oweh ranked No. 35 among 115 NFL edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. But his pass-rush grade shone even better. He ranked No. 17 with a grade of 78.0.
Also, PFF ranked him as the No. 7 free agent overall, regardless of position.
“A midseason trade from the Baltimore Ravens to the Los Angeles Chargers sparked a career year for Odafe Oweh at an ideal time as he heads toward free agency,” PFF wrote. “He recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles in the Chargers' playoff loss to the New England Patriots and ranked 11th among edge defenders in PFF pass-rush win rate (16.5%) after arriving in Los Angeles.”
The Commanders have been desperate for help in getting to the opposing quarterback. It wasn’t all about sacks, but creating quick pressure was a weakness.
And the 27-year-old Oweh brings the measureables to town, according to ESPN.
“Oweh's 6-foot-5 frame, combined with his 4.36 40-yard dash speed, has helped him evolve into one of the league's most promising edge rushers,” Kris Rhim wrote. “His 17.5 sacks since 2024 rank 19th in the NFL.”
If the Commanders can get a healthy season from Jayden Daniels, defensive improvements could put them back into the playoff mix.
