Odafe Oweh
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Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh.
Based on not even 1 fully productive season but 1 really, really good half-season, the Washington Commanders gave edge rusher Odafe Oweh a 4-year, $100 million free agent contract.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport singled out Oweh’s contract as the NFL’s worst “Overpay” in the 2026 free agent cycle — a deal that came with $68 million in guaranteed money.
“It can be argued that the Commanders simply paid the going rate for a solid edge-rusher in his prime,” Davenport wrote. “That if they hadn’t backed up the truck someone else would have. But over the first five games of last season, Oweh didn’t have a sack with the Ravens. He doesn’t add much against the run — Oweh has just one 40-tackle season in five professional seasons. And we just saw both the Ravens and Chargers (two of the better-run organizations in the NFL) pass on handing Oweh the big bucks. It will take a career year from Oweh in 2026 to justify almost $70 million in guarantees. That’s not especially likely given the lack of talent around him up front in Washington.”
Former 1st Round Pick Hits Unexpected Payday
The Ravens saw enough of Oweh that they decided they didn’t want to see any more of the former 1st round pick just 5 games into the regular season.
The Ravens, in more of a “We Give Up” move than anything else, traded Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman and a 7th round pick and weren’t any worse for it.
While Oweh reclaimed his season with the Chargers and wound up with 7.5 sacks in 2025, he didn’t even become a full-time starter in that time.
That mattered little to the Commanders.
“Former Chargers DE Odafe Oweh reached agreement today on a four-year, $100 million deal including $68 million guaranteed with the Washington Commanders,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on March 9.
Commanders Fans Condem Oweh Contract
Reaction from Commanders fans was swift — and condemned the deal.
“The Washington Commanders just handed Odafe Oweh $100 MILLION with $68M guaranteed and we’re supposed to act like that’s normal??” NFL influencer Olakunle Beloved wrote on their official X account. “One massive contract and suddenly everyone’s acting like this fixes everything. NFL front offices throw around insane money and fans are expected to just clap for it. Commanders fans… is this actually a great move or another overpay waiting to age badly?”
Even after being traded to the Los Angeles Chargers on October 7, Oweh was called out by Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon as the “Biggest Letdown” for the Ravens in 2025.
“Oweh broke out with 10 sacks in 2024, but he didn’t register a single quarterback takedown in five games before the team essentially gave up and traded him to the Chargers,” Gagnon wrote on October 24.
Sending Oweh to the Chargers came as somewhat of a shock. NFL teams are loathe to give up on edge rushers and the deal gave the Ravens little advantage on paper.
On paper, it looks like the Ravens were just sick of Oweh and wanted him shipped out of town.