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Commanders' marquee free agent signing EDGE Odafe Oweh will fill glaring void in polarizing way
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Commanders' marquee free agent signing EDGE Odafe Oweh will fill glaring void in polarizing way

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Josh Taylor  |  Last updated Mar 10, 2026 12:07 PM ET

The Washington Commanders said they wanted to land an EDGE this offseason, and that's what they did on the first day of free agency.

General manager Adam Peters opened the checkbook and gave free agent EDGE Odafe Oweh a massive four-year, $100 million contract to get after the quarterback. Now, it's time for Oweh to get ready for his Commanders' career and bring a pass-rush production that has been missing for way too long.

Oweh is an intriguing, top EDGE addition that fans should be excited about, but you need to know why and what he brings to the Commanders as a pass rusher.

Odafe Oweh is going into his prime

Very rarely do you see a player traded to a team and immediately start producing at a high level, but that's exactly what Oweh did after being traded from the Baltimore Ravens to the Los Angeles Chargers last season. Once Oweh landed with the Chargers, he was a top EDGE rusher among many of the top categories.

He had the sixth-highest pressure rate in the league at 17.3%, while collecting 7.5 sacks, 37 pressures, and eight tackles for a loss. Oweh just turned 27, and he's playing the best football of his career as he ascends into his prime.

Odafe Oweh is a freak athlete

Peters loves his athletes, and Oweh is one of the most polarizing EDGE players in the NFL. Oweh has an elite speed composite score after running a 4.37 40-yard dash at 6-5, 257 pounds, and it's translated to the field with his burst off the EDGE. He finished with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.92, and his 34.5" arms are a nightmare for offensive tackles.

Being an athlete is one thing, but using it to your advantage is another, and Oweh has been able to blend his athleticism into sharp pass-rushing tools in his arsenal. Oweh is polished as a pass rusher as he uses his speed and power to mix up different moves to attack blockers with different approaches throughout the game.

Whether it's a spin move, a chop, a ghost move, or just a clean hand swipe, Oweh can get to the QB with ease.

Oweh can attack from a three-point stance, or as a standup pass rusher out wide, and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones will be able to deploy him the same way he did with Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner.

The Commanders are getting a 27-year-old franchise pass rusher who is entering his prime, as well as a proven producer who will fit Jones' scheme as an athletic EDGE. His $100 million contract will seem like nothing by next offseason, and they will finally fill their biggest need.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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