The Kansas City Chiefs actually have more than their fair share of decisions to make in free company, one in every of which is whether or not to aim to convey again veteran edge rusher Charles Omenihu for a fourth season.
After spending the primary 4 years of his NFL profession with the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers, the previous fifth-round choose signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Kansas City forward of the 2023 season, a marketing campaign in which he was suspended for the primary six video games for violating the league’s private conduct coverage, as he was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor home assault.
Despite lacking all that point, Omenihu had the perfect season of his profession, tallying a career-high 7.0 sacks in 11 regular-season video games and including another in the playoffs earlier than struggling a torn ACL in the AFC title recreation towards the Baltimore Ravens. He returned towards the top of the 2024 season, recording one sack in six regular-season outings and another towards the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round of the postseason.
The Chiefs allowed him to hit the open market right now a 12 months in the past, however they in the end introduced him again on a one-year, $4 million deal. And now, as talked about, they need to ponder whether or not to make that very same alternative yet one more time.
Looking again at Charles Omenihu’s contract 12 months
While 2025 actually wasn’t Omenihu’s greatest season, the seven-year veteran nonetheless tied his profession bests in each complete tackles (28) and tackles for loss (5), whereas additionally tallying 3.5 sacks, good for third on the Kansas City roster behind solely Chris Jones (7.0) and George Karlaftis (6.0).
While not overly sturdy in the pass-rush division from an general standpoint, the previous Texas Longhorn was distinctive towards the run, along with his 75.0 run-defense grade rating 14th amongst 115 qualifying edge rushers. Simply put, his season might’ve been higher, nevertheless it additionally might’ve been worse.
Charles Omenihu’s market outlook
In phrases of people who might try to signal Omenihu in free company, one might simply say that he’d be a pretty possibility for all 32 groups, particularly seeing as how Spotrac is only projecting the common annual worth of his subsequent contract to be $3.5 million per season. That’s a small value to pay for somebody along with his versatility.
While primarily an edge rusher, Omenihu additionally took his fair proportion of snaps on the inside this previous 12 months on the sort out place—141, to be actual—accounting for 24.9 % of his season complete. So, with that value level and that kind of plug-and-play versatility, each crew might clearly use a participant like that on the roster.
Could Charles Omenihu return to the Chiefs in 2026?
Now, regardless of all the things simply mentioned in the part above, it is attention-grabbing to notice that final 12 months, the Chiefs did not signal Omenihu to his new one-year deal till March 20, which was 9 days after the brand new league 12 months started and 11 days after the authorized tampering interval for unrestricted free brokers opened.
Perhaps there have been nonetheless some character issues stemming from his arrest, or possibly there have been nonetheless issues about his knee, however the reality stays that he sat on the open market for greater than every week earlier than re-signing with Kansas City.
The Chiefs may not have that luxurious this 12 months, and if they’ll get him for the $3.5 million determine talked about above, they might be sensible to take action. If his price ticket will get into the $5 million vary or larger, they’d most likely cross, however having recently released Mike Danna for salary-cap causes, they’re already down some defensive finish depth.
Final prediction for Charles Omenihu
While I might simply be mistaken on this one for all the explanations talked about above, I’m formally calling for Omenihu to return to the Chiefs on the very same one-year, $4 million contract he obtained final offseason.
