Defensive end Charles Omenihu will get another opportunity in Kansas City. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Omenihu is re-signing with the Chiefs on a one-year deal that will be worth up to $7MM. 
Omenihu began his NFL career as a fifth-round pick out of Texas in 2019. In his first two seasons with the Texans, Omenihu played a key role as a rotational pass rusher. With five starts in 29 games, Omenihu logged seven total sacks, seven tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, four passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
In his third season with the team, Omenihu started the first two games of the season before being relegated to coming off the bench. Eight weeks into the season, though, Omenihu found himself being traded to the 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He saw a minimal role in San Francisco the remainder of that year but showed up for his contract year the following season.
In 2022, Omenihu played in every game of the season for the first time in his career, making three starts. He recorded then-career highs with 4.5 sacks and 20 total tackles while matching his previous high of 16 quarterback hits.
Omenihu leveraged a strong contract year in San Francisco into a two-year, $16MM free agent deal with the Chiefs. Despite missing the first six games of the 2023 season while serving a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, Omenihu had a career year in Kansas City. In only 11 games, Omenihu set new highs with seven sacks and 28 total tackles. He also matched career-highs in tackles for loss (5), passes defensed (2), and forced fumbles (2), while logging 11 quarterback hits.
Unfortunately, Omenihu’s strongest season yet was cut short in the postseason, when he suffered a torn ACL in the AFC Championship game in Baltimore. The injury occurring so late in the season made it difficult for Omenihu to make a return to the field in time for the 2024 NFL season. He missed the first 11 games of the season before finally making a return for the remainder of the year.
Omenihu had been eyeing a new contract shortly after his ACL tear from the 2023 season, but the injury likely complicated things. Having made it through recovery, the 27-year-old was given a second chance at a new deal. The Chiefs opted to re-sign him despite his having missed 17 games in the past two seasons. The $7MM potential of the contract is likely highly incentive-based because of that, though. Kansas City will hope to see him return to his 2023 form for a full season in 2025.