The NFL's legal tampering period is open, and the Washington Commanders are officially in business. After striking out on a few of their early top targets, general manager Adam Peters was able to land one of the biggest prizes on the market in edge rusher Odafe Oweh.
The No. 31 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens is heading back to the Beltway, after his brief stint with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. He's amassed 17.5 sacks in the past two seasons, despite only starting 14 of 34 games.
Now, he's Washington's. And the risk is worth every one of the $100 million — $68 million guaranteed — the Commanders will be paying him.
Odafe Oweh is an ascending star, and the Commanders got him at exactly the right time
One of the Commanders' biggest free agency needs was on the defensive edge. They rolled with Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Deatrich Wise Jr. to begin last season, but both of them got hurt, leaving Washington with Jacob Martin, Von Miller, and an aging Preston Smith.
Wise was re-signed, and Armstrong is set to return, but the Commanders needed to aim higher given both of their age and injury concerns. They got their guy in Oweh, who immediately becomes the highest-paid player on the team's 2026 roster and the largest contract that Peters has ever given to an incoming free agent.
The price tag is obviously a risk, but Oweh is exactly the type of player the Commanders needed to target.
He is a four-year pro whose rookie deal just expired, and was on the open market for the first time. With any luck, the four seasons he'll spend in Washington will take Oweh through the prime of his career.
Commanders fans have been begging Peters to sign a player like Oweh for three years. In his first offseason, he loaded up on short-term contracts for aging veterans and mid-level deals for less-coveted role players such as Armstrong and Frankie Luvu. Then, last year was much quieter, with the ridiculous overpay to Javon Kinlaw serving as the highlight of the class.
Thus far in 2026, Peters has re-signed left tackle Laremy Tunsil and has now brought in Oweh, a player with Pro Bowl upside. He also made a more questionable move for cornerback Amik Robertson, but perhaps it'll turn out for the best.
The bottom line is that this front office is not standing pat. They're going after the guys they want, and now, they've reeled one in.