Hogs Haven
Odafe Oweh recently discussed how he loved Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ defensive style, because of the attack mentality it brings. Oweh was signed to a $96-million contract that has $68 million guaranteed, of which $50.6 million is fully guaranteed at signing.
Washington’s significant investment indicates that Adam Peters views him as a key player in Washington’s defensive plan going forward. Odafe was my favorite free agent back in March, but I didn’t provide a lot coverage because I did not believe he would be available. However, the Chargers chose not franchise tag on him and Baltimore forewent a reunion with new head coach Jesse Minter in favor of trading for Maxx Crosby. By the time that deal was nullified by the Ravens, Odafe had already signed with Washington.
My preference for Oweh stemmed from his athletic ability, pass-rush toolbox, and ascending play. The 6-foot-4, 257-pound EDGE is an athletic freak, with a 4.37 40-yard dash and elite ratings in explosion, speed, and agility.
Oweh’s speed and explosion translate to the field, with the ability to convert speed to power. He has a number of pass rush moves available to him. They include spin moves, cross chops and hand swipes, along with an understanding of how to sequence his moves to set up blockers. Odafe has the bend desirable in an edge player. Following a midseason trade last year, he took off in the Chargers defense and finished the year with the sixth-highest pressure rate in the league at 17.3%, and recorded 10.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 42 total tackles, and 47 total pressures in 2025 (all including playoffs). Oweh just turned 27, and he’s playing the best football of his career as he heads into his prime.
The concern revolves around his lack of production prior to this season. The fact that Baltimore flipped him for a so-so defensive back and a Day 3 NFL draft pick says something about how they estimated his value. Oweh had just 13 sacks over the first three seasons of his career combined. He has never been consistent against the run, hitting the 40-tackle mark just once in his career. Although his production last season was good, it is not elite, which is the issue some analysts had with paying the free agent such a hefty contract.
There is still reason for optimism amongst the Washington faithful. All of Oweh’s 7.5 sacks last year came after he was traded to the Chargers in Week 6, despite only playing 50% of the team’s defensive snaps. Clearly, the defensive scheme in Los Angeles was a better fit. Former Chargers defensive coordinator and current Ravens head coach Jesse Minter discussed how he unlocked Oweh’s talent in his introductory presser.
“We created an environment for him that he played with a lot of confidence. Simplified some things we were asking him to do. Allowed him at times to have a little more freedom as a pass rusher.”
Now that the blueprint has been established, the question...
