Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has liked large, long, and versatile defensive ends. So it’s easy to envision him ecstatic about the team’s recent acquisition of former San Francisco 49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu.
The 25-year-old disruptor checks every box, And he knows it, as he made plain on a Zoom chat with reporters. Omenihu described his play from the edge as “simply get-off – intimidating players with get-off.” “I wouldn’t say I’m the fastest player off the edge, but I believe my awareness of the snap — as well as my quickness off the ball — poses a threat”.
Omenihu entered the NFL as a stout defensive end with outstanding length at 6’5″ and 280 pounds. While he is still listed at that weight, his 2022 footage shows a player who is 10-15 pounds lighter. It may have given him the extra stride that let him flourish in San Francisco.
Yet, his physical stature plays a significant role in what he brings to the game. At the end of the day, it’s all about the numbers. “For me, it’s my length and my power,” Omenihu declared. “My hand usage is decent — [but] I think it could be better”.
“I know I can get offensive linemen turned, translate that get-off to power and put guys into the quarterback’s lap. Once I get them to sit on the power, then I’m able to use my [hands] to win on the edge — or through them”.
The 36″ arms show up in Omenihu’s rushes, constantly reaching around blocks and looking to make a game-changing play on the ball
Last yr, he caused this game-changing fumble in the playoff game, plus forced the interception to seal their W over LAC pic.twitter.com/Hga6ziTbt2
— Ron Kopp Jr. (@Ron_Kopp) March 15, 2023
“Inside, I think it’s just my get off; I threaten guards pretty quickly,” he told reporters. “I think my hands inside are really good; my tape shows that I beat guards very quickly. Then my counters too… there are different variations of winning. So that’s how I see myself”.
