The Washington Commanders bolster the front seven by signing a second Kansas City Chiefs defender in as many days
The Washington Commanders have added another to the trenches with general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn restocking the defensive side of the ball.
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has reportedly agreed to a one year deal with Washington worth up to $7 million, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Omenihu becomes the second former Chiefs defender to sign with the Commanders in as many days after signing versatile linebacker Leo Chenal on Tuesday, giving new defensive coordinator a weapon to use in the front seven.
Omenihu joins the organization after three seasons in Kansas City where he posted 11.5 sacks and 62 total tackles along with three forced fumbles. He joined the organization after a stint with the San Francisco 49ers, giving Peters and the Commanders familiarity around the free agent. Omenihu was sent to the 49ers in exchange for a future draft pick after posting 11 quarterback pressures with the Houston Texans in 2021. With the 49ers, he tallied 37 total tackles with 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 2022.
The latest signing also marks a signal that the front office is doing what the fanbase hoped for - rebuilding the front seven. Omenihu becomes the latest defensive lineman in the fold after inking Odafe Oweh to a four deal worth up to $100 million, along with signing Tim Settle who adds to the interior defensive line. Former Patriots edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson became the first of three impact free agent signings on Wednesday, while Washington already re-signed Deatrich Wise Jr, Drake Jackson and Shy Tuttle ahead of the legal tampering window, which officially opened on Monday.
Whether Washington is done in the front seven remains to be seen with the seventh overall pick still available, though the trio of free agent edge rushers now become a big part of the solution in 2026 while Chenal fills a role as a versatile defender in the front seven.
Omenihu also played in all 17 games in 2025, the first time he has done so since 2017. He was suspended the first six games of the 2023 season, his first season with the Chiefs, for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
He made the jump to the NFL after the Houston Texans selected the former Texas star and All Big-12 selection with the 161st overall pick in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Omenihu ended his college career named the 2018 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.