NFL veteran edge rusher Charles Omenihu signed a new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Omenihu, a former fifth-round pick, spent the 2022 season with the San Francisco 49ers but has also played for the Houston Texans.
Breaking: FA DT Charles Omenihu is signing a two-year, $20M max deal with the #Chiefs, sources tell @theScore.
He's coming off his best season, tallying 16 quarterback hits and 28 initial pressures with #49ers. Omenihu's only 25 years old.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 15, 2023
Charles Omenihu, Kansas City Chiefs, Agree to Contract
The San Francisco 49ers had one of the best defenses in football last year, and Charles Omenihu was a reason for that success. While nobody will confuse him with Nick Bosa, the former fifth-round selection made noise as a situation edge rusher, recording 4.5 sacks, 20 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, 16 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, and one pass defended in 17 games (three starts). The 49ers made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game but fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, in large part due to the fact that their top four quarterbacks all suffered injuries.
Charles Omenihu originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Selected by the Houston Texans, the Texas product spent the majority of his rookie season as a situational edge rusher. Appearing in 14 games without making a start, Omenihu finished the year with three sacks, 13 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. The Texans made it all the way to the AFC Divisional Round and even held a 21-0 lead on the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, but could not maintain their lead.
Omenihu’s role grew in 2021, as he started five of the 15 games in which he played. While on the field, the second-year pro recorded four sacks, 17 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, and 16 quarterback hits.
The edge defender began the 2021 season with the Houston Texans, but landed with the San Francisco 49ers via a midseason trade. While the 49ers made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, Omenihu didn’t do too much during his first year with the team. In total, he recorded just six tackles in his nine games with the 49ers.
Since signing his rookie contract, Charles Omenihu has recorded 11.5 sacks, 67 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, and 41 quarterback hits.
Main Photo: Kyle Terada – USA Today Sports
