Joe Hortiz Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers Losing Big to Commanders in NFL Free Agency Has NFL Execs Buzzing

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Chris Roling | Last updated Apr 3, 2026 7:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t seem all that intent on playing in the deep end of the market for Odafe Oweh in NFL free agency.

While a former first-round pick the Chargers traded for last year before his big breakout, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and Co. made it clear they wouldn’t be paying big money there if the market went where it usually does for ascending pass-rushers.

Big money it was, too. Oweh landed a four-year deal worth $96 million with the Washington Commanders.

Considering how timid the Chargers were at edge rusher beyond simply bringing back Khalil Mack again, it's pretty easy to be pessimistic about the loss.

NFL execs comment on Chargers’ big free agency loss

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It seems like the anonymous NFL exec circuit usually slants pretty negatively, especially when it comes to the Chargers.

But on the subject of Odafe Oweh… apparently not.

Mike Sando of The Athletic recently polled folks around the NFL and one of the anonymous takes on this subject probably doesn’t go how some might expect.

“That is two teams now that have let Oweh walk, and it wasn’t like his former coach (John Harbaugh, now with the New York Giants) was banging down the doors for him,” an exec told Sando. “It wasn’t like Baltimore was trying to get him back with Jesse Minter. Todd Monken wasn’t trying to bring him to Cleveland.”

It is a pretty fair assessment of things and, to the Chargers’ credit, probably aligns with what the front office did when it was making its own decision on this topic.

Granted, the counterargument is that the Chargers invested a draft pick just to get him in town, then actually got a breakout from him. Now, they’re attempting to run the same defensive system under a new coordinator, so continuity helps. Instead…they choose to start over.

The Chargers can still strengthen the depth of the role in the upcoming draft as early as Round 1, if they really want to. But free agency continues to boast a variety of older veterans who could come in and help right away.

Names like…Joey Bosa.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Chargers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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