The Kansas City Chiefs have struck a deal with another free agent, this time on the defensive side of the ball.
According to multiple reports, the Chiefs have struck a two-year deal with San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Charles Omenihu worth up to $20 million. A former fifth-round pick out of Texas in the 2019 NFL draft, this is a player that Kansas City has had its eye on for a long time. He had a formal meeting with the Chiefs at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. The team also reportedly had talks with the Houston Texans about acquiring Omenihu during the 2021 NFL season.
Now, the Chiefs grab Omenihu on the back of a season where he generated 61 pressures and seven sacks as a rotational pass rusher in 2022 according to PFF.
Sources: #49ers pass-rusher Charles Omenihu is expected to sign with the #Chiefs. He gets a 2-year deal worth $20M max value.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2023
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, he has the flexibility to play both edge rusher and reduce down to the interior on pass-rushing downs. This move should help the Chiefs stay young as Omenihu is just 25 years old. It also helps offset the loss of Frank Clark in the pass-rushing department.
There are some off-the-field issues that Kansas City will need to work through as Omenihu was booked on domestic violence charges in January. Expect the team to have some built-in protections in his contract should he miss any playing time as a result of the charges.
