Charles Omenihu has been with the Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons, but in each of them, he did not get his first regular-season snap until the midway point of the year. He has been able to provide some flashes for K.C.’s defense and pass rush, but we have yet to see what he can fully do for the team over a full campaign.
Kansas City did not make a lot of veteran additions to its front seven this offseason. Just on the defensive line and in the pass rush, the Chiefs may have to lean on some younger pieces throughout portions of the year in order to remain productive. Fortunately, having a defensive genius as good as Steve Spagnuolo will help maintain a high level of play in the pass rush overall.
How consistent of a player could Omenihu become for the Chiefs’ defense if he finishes a full season? And how have his recent flashes led to easy production as a pass rusher?
How Omenihu has fared so far in K.C.
Charles Omenihu provided a jolt of energy to the Chiefs’ defense during his first few official games with the team. He served a suspension throughout the early part of the 2023 season. Afterwards, Omenihu was able to produce a sack, two quarterback hits, and a pass breakup in his Chiefs debut against the Los Angeles Chargers. The defender would go on to finish with seven sacks in 11 regular-season games to close out the 2023 season. Only three of those 11 games saw him fail to record at least half a sack.
Omenihu was able to gift Kansas City with even more momentum in the AFC Championship Game that year. A strip sack on Lamar Jackson led to a George Karlaftis fumble recovery. Turnovers played a major part in the Chiefs’ defense shutting down the Baltimore Ravens. Sadly for Omenihu, he suffered a torn ACL in the conference title game. He was not able to play against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, in Super Bowl LVIII as a result.
Because of that injury, he was not able to make his 2024 season debut until last November. His snaps were obviously limited after coming back late last season. Though his pressure numbers were up and down, he had roughly as many hurries as he did total pressures. But in terms of finishing, there were some inconsistencies for Omenihu last year, coming off the knee injury.
Where Omenihu has won during brief Chiefs stints
All in all, there are a lot of little details that Omenihu does well. His dirty work can often go unnoticed, especially in a defense like the Chiefs’. In run defense, he is a pest when blockers are looking to work laterally or up the field. His length provides Kansas City with muddied-up running lanes, allowing others to clean up the mess.
Omenihu also utilizes his length to get his arms in passing lanes, affecting the throw of the opposing quarterback. Finally, Omenihu is underrated in terms of his get-off speed at the snap. That is where some easier finishes at the quarterback can come for him and add to his production.
How a consistent, full season of Omenihu impacts Kansas City
The Chiefs have a few star defenders. But in terms of what a consistent, full season can do for Charles Omenihu, any increase in production could make him one of the better defenders on the team in 2025.
That could also lead to Kansas City having one of the most disruptive pass rushes in the NFL. If the Chiefs continue to be near the top of the league in sacks like they have in other years with Spagnuolo, the pressure is taken off the offense to be explosively dominant.
And just for the player himself, a strong, productive full year could pay huge dividends for Omenihu next offseason. He is scheduled to be a free agent in 2026. A satisfactory season statistically could increase his market value.
However, it may not be as much as what other available free agents could cost. If you do not want to break the bank for an additional pass rusher, Charles Omenihu could be one of the better bargain options in 2026.
