The other reason Oweh and Chaisson were enticing prospects to the Commanders: both players are still ascending in their careers. Over two-thirds of Oweh’s sacks have come in the last two seasons, while Chaisson tied for 11th among defensive ends in total pressures despite only starting in 10 games in 2025. The Commanders only signed Chaisson for one season, but they believe that will be enough to motivate him.
“He’s still really young,” Peters said. “He’s still ascending. He’s got one year to prove it, and I think he’s gonna do really well.”
The Commanders feel similarly about Omenihu, who is only 28 years old but has bounced around the league with three teams. Omenihu wasn’t as productive in terms of sacks with 3.5, but he did register 13 quarterback hits in 2025. His most valuable trait to the Commanders, however, might be his versatility and how that can affect those around him.
“Charles is a player that…can be outside all the way to inside,” Quinn said. “And so, it leaves guys like Odafe and KC [Chaisson] more outside first.”
There’s also the Commanders’ returning players to consider. The additions of Oweh, Chaisson and Omenihu could provide more one-on-one opportunities for Daron Payne, who is playing on the last year of his contract. Although he only recorded three sacks in 2025, there’s at least a precedent for his impact when less attention is on him, as he had 11.5 sacks and 20 quarterback hits in 2022. It should also allow players like Jean-Baptiste to continue their development with less pressure to produce right away.