4 Commanders free agents who could be forced into retirement in 2024
By Dean Jones
Efe Obada
It's hard not to be impressed by Efe Obada's journey. Once homeless on the streets of London, he rose from the abyss to get his NFL opportunity. The defensive lineman was keen not to waste his big chance, carving out a decent niche for himself as a situational edge rusher with several teams throughout his time in the league so far.
Obada reunited with Ron Rivera on the Washington Commanders in 2022. After catching the eye from a rotational role en route to four sacks, it was a no-brainer to keep him around.
Things didn't go so well for Obada during the recent campaign. The edge rusher found life difficult to generate momentum before suffering a serious leg injury that cruelly ended his season after just five games. This was a devastating blow to the player's chances of getting another deal in Washington.
Much like the situation with Joey Slye, the hopes of Obada getting another short-term deal with Rivera deemed surplus to requirements seem remote. Rehabbing such a horrible injury only lends further weight to this notion. It sounds harsh, but the NFL is a business above all else. Emotional attachment to anybody is simply not an option for Adam Peters.
That doesn't just apply to the Commanders. If teams around the league aren't satisfied with Obada's progress and medical assessments, they could turn their attention away from the Nigerian-born player entirely.