Chiefs' new addition breaks down what he brings to the team
It’s something the Chiefs covet on that side of the ball for sure.
Versatility. It's something the Chiefs love on their team. But then again, who doesn't? They integrate versatile players on offense and defense. This year we saw guys like Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney be versatile by running the ball at times on end around or jet sweep plays. That's versatility.
We saw on defense the Chiefs covet the skill set as well. Chris Jones, a runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, played inside and outside a ton last year. If you look back at the AFC Championship game, he made Carlos Dunlap switch with him so get could get outside leverage on the Cincinnati Bengal's offensive line, and he ended up getting the crucial third down sack.
That's what this team is about. That's what Andy Reid likes and that's what Steve Spagnuolo likes on defense. Luckily for them, that's exactly what the two of them are getting in their new free agency addition.
"I think the versatility is just something that is a known thing," Charles Omenihu said in his opening presser. "It's just something I think looking at me as a player profile that I can rush inside and rush outside and rush over the center, whatever you need me to do, I have shown that I can do it throughout my career as well. I think I bring to the table is a guy that can do that.
"I think I'm a guy that can play the run first and second down and, and play over tight ends and being a, I'm saying nine and five and then I think I can rush on the edge if you need me to depend on however we want to do it. So I think that versatility is what I bring to the table. A guy that's going to play hard very much. I just want to stop the run because I know when you play the wrong way, you can have some fun and rush the quarterback."
Omenihu is coming in to replace what Frank Clark and Dunlap did last season, as far as we know. He can replace that production, and bring some more. However, he can also play inside. But, in my opinion, I think Omenihu is being brought in to mainly play on the outside, even if he does play inside a few times.
Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, Micah Parsons, Za'Darius Smith, and Trey Hendrickson are the only edge rushers who have a higher pass rush win rate than Omenihu. Per Pro Football Focus, his pass rush win rate is 20.7%, which is higher than Chris Jones' 20.4%, which was the highest in his position. Just for reference, Clark was 37th in pass rush win rate at 13%.
Omenihu was also in the top 16 in total pressures of all players with 62. The former fifth-rounder in the 2019 draft is also just 25 years old, while Clark is about to be 30, so the replacement is perfect.
The Chiefs not only got a guy who's versatile, but they got a guy who has the potential to be dominant. No matter where, or what the Chiefs have him doing on game day, I think we will see Omenihu be disruptive.
