The Los Angeles Chargers have recorded 40 sacks on the season so far, which is tied for the sixth-most in the NFL.
It has been the young guns for the Bolts who have been doing most of the work in the defensive front and taking down opposing quarterbacks. Out of the team’s 40 sacks, the majority are done by players who are still on their rookie contracts.
With the regular season close to an end and the playoffs starting in just a matter of weeks, the Chargers may want to re-sign one of their key defenders before he tests the waters in free agency.
Defender Lining Up For Big Contract
GettyOdafe Oweh #98 of the Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts added some reinforcements in the defensive front earlier in the season when the team traded for Baltimore Ravens EDGE rusher Odafe Oweh (and a 2027 seventh-round pick) in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
Oweh did not record a sack in the first five games with the Ravens this season, but his numbers have turned around since making his way to the City of Angels. In his 7 appearances for the Chargers, the pass rusher has recorded 7 sacks — alongside 21 total tackles with LA.
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks believes the 27-year-old defender could be well on his way to earning a nice new contract in the 2026 Free Agency.
“The former Ravens first-rounder racked up 10 sacks in 2024, but he began the final year of his rookie contract on a slow note… Now, though, Oweh looks ready to command top dollar on the marketplace as an ultra-athletic pass rusher who’s piled up seven sacks with his new team, giving him 17 over his last 31 games,” Brooks wrote.
“Questions will likely persist about his lack of 2025 production for the Ravens, but Oweh’s L.A. bounce-back should prompt a team to bet on his upside as a twitchy pass rusher who is coming into his own as a playmaker. Given the impact and importance of employing an effective sack artist in a pass-happy league, Oweh’s resurgence and résumé could create a bidding war for his services.”
In his career, Oweh has logged 30 sacks and 169 tackles. With two consecutive seasons reaching 7-plus sacks, the defender will have multiple teams calling him.
What’s Next For Odafe Oweh?
GettyOdafe Oweh entered his fifth season with the Baltimore Ravens before being traded
It seems like the Los Angeles Chargers will want to see the player return to the team for the next few seasons.
After acquiring Odafe Oweh, head coach Jim Harbaugh praised the player, calling him similar to Khalil Mack.
“Direct rusher, but has speed, has depth, has ability to set the edge. Been a very good, productive young player, in the prime of his career,” the HC said, via Chargers Wire.
According to Over the Cap, the Bolts will have around $101 million in cap space for the 2026 free agency. Oweh could secure a nice contract from the Bolts and stay in a system he will be comfortable with, rather than finding a new home for the second time in two seasons.
“It’s a new, fresh start and I have a new opportunity to get more sacks. I’m just looking forward,” Oweh said after being traded, via the Chargers. “I know that this is a good opportunity for me to show who I can be.”
With Mack also in the latter stages of his career, extending Oweh would be the smart decision for the Bolts moving forward.
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