Houston Texans second-year defensive end Charles Omenihu has been working with former Super Bowl champion edge defender DeMarcus Ware in the offseason.
How did Omenihu get acquainted with Ware? Was it through mutual Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex connections, as Ware used to play for the Dallas Cowboys and Omenihu a standout at Rowlett High School?
No. They connected on Instagram.
“I’ve known D-Ware since I got drafted,” Omenihu said. “We just hit on Instagram and talked.”
The former 2019 fifth-round pick from Texas didn’t get a chance to really interact and learn from the former Denver Bronco until Von Miller’s annual pass rush summit, which was held in Las Vegas last year. It was at that event where Omenihu cultivated his connection with the possible Hall of Famer.
“As far as what I’ve learned from him though, just enhancing what I’m good at and don’t steer away from what makes me, me,” Omenihu said.
Some of what makes Omenihu, Omenihu is his ability to create takeaways off the edge. The 6-5, 280-pound edge defender collected 3.0 sacks in his rookie season with two forced fumbles. Even though some of that production was integral to big wins, such as his sack and forced fumble of Patrick Mahomes in Week 6 that led to a 31-24 win at the Kansas City Chiefs, all Omenihu can dwell on are the missed opportunities.
Said Omenihu: “Honing in on that and making it better because I think a lot for me last year, a lot of the things when I missed opportunities were basically because of my technique or trying to be somebody I’m not. So, really honed in on that and the technique-wise of it. That’s what I was focused on for that month that I was with him.”
The Texans are hopeful that Omenihu’s month with Ware in the offseason leads to a season’s worth of disruption off the edge in first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s defense.
[vertical-gallery id=53305]