The Washington Commanders will be one of the NFL's top bounce-back candidates in 2026, after a five-win disaster of a campaign last season in which everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
Washington was one of the most injured teams in the league. Age and regression caught up to a roster that had overachieved to highly unsustainable levels in 2024. But now, the narrative has flipped.
After general manager Adam Peters brought in a strong free agency class, the Commanders look to return to a position to compete for a playoff spot. One of the unsung recent additions to the franchise will be a player who is no stranger to winning football.
Charles Omenihu hopes to bring the Chiefs' winning culture to the Commanders
Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu is a Super Bowl champion from his time with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, when he recorded a career-high 7 sacks. The journeyman veteran spoke with Bryan Colbert Jr. of the Next Man Up podcast to offer insight into what he expects to bring to D.C.
"Winning, and contributing to winning... The more you win, the bigger games you're in, and the bigger games you're in, the bigger the spotlight. I think this organization and this city deserves that."
Everywhere Omenihu has gone, he has won. He has made the playoffs in five of his seven NFL campaigns, doing so with three different teams.
The 2019 fifth-round pick has never started more than five games in a season, but Omenihu has been a key utility piece when used properly. In Washington, he projects to serve as a backup to Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Dorance Armstrong Jr.
Omenihu is in Washington on a low-risk one-year deal worth $4 million. No one expects him to be a star, but he is a player who can do the little things that make the biggest difference.
On the field, he can come through with impact plays when his number is called. Away from the gridiron, Omenihu's leadership and experience in high-pressure moments will make him a valuable asset in head coach Dan Quinn's locker room.
The Commanders have tried to steer away from "culture guys" this spring, especially those who have aged out of providing quality play. But Omenihu is only 28 and has been productive at multiple stops.
Now, he's ready to give Washington a taste of his winning ways. That is only going to help on their road to possible redemption.
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