Tag: Charles Omenihu

Chiefs GM Brett Veach reveals status of QB Shane Buechele

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach revealed the status of quarterback Shane Buechele in comments to the media on Wednesday. | from: @EdEastonJr

On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs made a flurry of moves to accommodate the 53-man roster limit deadline. The parting ways with several players that helped play roles on the team over the last few seasons were brutal for fans but even tougher for the front office in charge of making the decisions.

Chiefs’ general manager, Brett Veach, is charged with making the big personnel decisions for the franchise and was faced with the tough call not to retain backup quarterback Shane Buechele following an improved preseason performance. He spoke with reporters on Wednesday for a press conference to explain the critical decision.

“Yeah, that was a tough one,” Veach said of his decision to cut the former SMU Mustang. “We’ve gone in different directions in different years. We just try to keep some young guys, too; it’s difficult. You do try to project some guys that you can get in the practice squad and, you know, keep in six linebackers with something that is a little bit of an oddity in some regards.

“Still, when you have these young guys that are likely to be gone, you want to see that through. I think sometimes you have to make tough decisions. Obviously, Shane is a good football player. And you know, we love having him around. You know, certainly gonna miss him.”

Buechele played well in the first two preseason games but struggled with two interceptions as the starter for last Saturday’s preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns.

“It was just one of those things where at the end of the day, we always say this all the guys at the end of the day, like make our jobs easy and put it on tape, and that’s where Blaine (Gabbert) came out and won the job,” Veach continued. “It doesn’t make it any easier because I think there was a lot of trust and belief in Shane Buechele and loved him as a player but it wasn’t an easy decision. I think just from a roster management standpoint, and trying to navigate through the D-Line and (Charles) Omenihu suspension and wanting some extra corners because they’re young. They’re just sometimes rostered. As soon as Yeah, decisions you have to make. And that was what we felt was best at this time.”

Buechele finished the preseason and quite possibly his Chiefs career with 349 passing yards, three touchdowns, and as many interceptions.

Two Chiefs defensive linemen celebrated birthdays on Sunday

Two #Chiefs defensive linemen celebrated birthdays on Sunday after Kansas City’s win against the #Cardinals.

The Kansas City Chiefs defensive line has been the subject of endless speculation amid Chris Jones’ holdout through the preseason. The unit has been tested through two exhibition matchups against the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, and showed serious improvement in Saturday’s win at State Farm Stadium.

Two of Kansas City’s defensive linemen, Danny Shelton and Charles Omenihu, celebrated birthdays on Sunday after the Chiefs’ preseason Week 2 victory, turning 30 and 26, respectively.

Shelton is a former first-round pick who won a Super Bowl ring as a member of Kansas City’s roster back in February.

Omenihu joined the Chiefs as a free agent in the offseason but will be suspended for Kansas City’s first six regular-season games because of a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Both figure to be key parts of the Chiefs’ defensive strategy this season, and with another year under their belts will bring their depth of experience to Kansas City’s up-and-coming front four.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Former Longhorn Charles Omenihu suspended six games by NFL

Charles Omenihu will miss the first six games of the NFL season.

Former Longhorn and current Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has been suspended by the NFL for the first six regular season games this season. Continue reading “Former Longhorn Charles Omenihu suspended six games by NFL”

Chris Jones fine tracker: Penalties piling up for star DT

Chris Jones has been fined a significant amount of money for his two-week absence from #Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph.

The announcement of Charles Omenihu’s suspension last week may have given star defensive lineman Chris Jones some leverage in his negotiations for an extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, but nothing is certain at this point. Jones is still being fined for each day of training camp that he misses at a rate of $50,000 per day, so his holdout from practices at Missouri Western State University comes at a steep price that ensures Kansas City’s front office still holds all the cards.

Last week when we looked at Jones’ accrued penalties he was sitting at somewhere between $400,000 and $500,000 owed back to the Chiefs for his absence. The $400,000 figure was calculated assuming that the fines started at midnight on Sunday, July 23, a day after Kansas City’s veterans reported to St. Joseph on July 22 and that he has not been accruing penalties for days that the Chiefs do not practice.

Now, though, even the calculation that assumes the most lenient punishment for his truancy has ballooned to $600,000 for 12 days of workouts missed, which is no small sum considering that Kansas City has not even begun its preseason exhibition schedule.

The more severe estimation, which sat at $500,000 last week, operates on the premise that fines are also being levied for days that the Chiefs do not practice. This would put him at $750,000 for 15 total absences from training camp in St. Joseph from July 23 until August 6.

Jones’ total cap number for the 2023 season remains $28,291,668 and these figures are starting to eat into his total pay for the year in a more significant capacity than they were last week. Now, Jones is set to effectively forfeit somewhere between two and three percent of his total cap number, with no sign of a resolution on the horizon.

The portion of Kansas City’s roster that decided to report to training camp, some 89 of the Chiefs’ 90 total players under contract, have been hard at work preparing for a championship defense while Jones figures out how to extract more money from the team’s delicate salary cap.

For his part, Jones is already the second-highest-paid player on the team, behind reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes. Jones makes about $6 million more than Joe Thuney, who commands the third-highest cap number, and his pay nearly doubles that of Travis Kelce, who accounts for $14,801,994 on the Chiefs’ books.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Chiefs DL Charles Omenihu suspended six games

#Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has been suspended for six games after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without defensive lineman Charles Omenihu for the first six games of their 2023 campaign after he was suspended by the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.

Omenihu signed with Kansas City as a free agent in March and was slated to be a key contributor to the Chiefs’ defense as the team looks to defend their newly won Super Bowl LVII title.

NFL.com’s national insider Ian Rapoport reported the news of Omenihu’s suspension on Twitter on Friday afternoon.

Omenihu is still eligible to participate in Kansas City’s three preseason games and training camp practices as the Chiefs gear up for the new season but will be unavailable in the weeks following the regular season kicks off.

His loss is a crushing blow for the team, which is currently dealing with a holdout by veteran pass rusher Chris Jones, who is using his absence from training camp as leverage in negotiations for a contract extension.

It is unclear if Kansas City has any contingency plans to fill the void left by Omenihu in their starting lineup for the regular season. Fans should expect rookie Keondre Coburn and veterans Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi to be fixtures of the Chiefs’ front four early in the team’s coming campaign, especially if Jones’ holdout continues through the end of August.

Charles Omenihu enjoys challenge of competing against Chiefs OL in practice

Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu told reporters that Kansas City’s offensive line is helping him hone his game in St. Joseph. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs defensive line has garnered well-deserved praise over the last few seasons for their ability to apply pressure to quarterbacks, an effort that has been led by All-Pro tackle Chris Jones. Former Chief Frank Clark, who signed with the Denver Broncos in the offseason, was an essential veteran presence for the team in recent years, and his departure left Kansas City with little experience edge rusher position.

The Chiefs signed Charles Omenihu to help fill that void while developing young players, as he brings a solid presence on the line. Omenihu is adjusting to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system by battling with the first-team offensive line at practices in St. Joseph. and he told reporters after Tuesday’s workouts about the benefits of the intrasquad competition.

“I like talking to the [offensive line] as far as what they see from me, deficiencies and stuff that I can be better at,” Omenihu explained. “We [have] got guys like Juwaan [Taylor] and Donovan [Smith], vets and guys [who] have really made a step in the league. Its good to go against those guys every day.”

The Chiefs’ offensive line featured two Pro Bowl selections last season in center Creed Humphrey and guard Joe Thuney and has fan-favorite rising star Trey Smith rounding out its interior.

Omenihu had four and a half sacks last season for the San Francisco 49ers, and appeared in all 17 regular season games, starting in three.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Steve Spagnuolo expects Charles Omenihu to play ‘multiple positions’ in 2023

Steve Spagnuolo is looking for positional versitility from Charles Omenihu amid Chris Jones’ holdout from #Chiefs training camp

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8221″]

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has managed to coach his unit to two Super Bowl titles since joining the team in 2019. The addition of Charles Omenihu to his squad’s front four in free agency raised the stakes for the seasoned coordinator, who is currently dealing with the absence of star pass rusher Chris Jones as training camp gets underway.

When asked about his expectations for Omenihu after Monday’s practice, Spagnuolo made it clear that the pass rusher’s versatility on the defensive front will be of the utmost importance.

“You know, [I expect him] to play multiple positions, inside and outside,” Spagnuolo explained to reporters after practice. “He did that in San Francisco, so we like that kind of flexibility. Be stern in the run game. My expectations right now for him quite frankly is to learn the system. That’s step number one and then let his natural ability take over after that.”

Omenihu should be a quick study in Spagnuolo’s system, which seemed to be simplified last season after Kansas City added several young defenders in the 2022 NFL draft. If Jones doesn’t return to the Chiefs in the coming weeks, expect Omenihu to be temporarily thrust into his position as Spagnuolo feels out his newest lineman’s skillset.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

DeMeco Ryans may be able to get more out of Texans’ existing talent

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was able to tap into Charles Omenihu’s potential. Perhaps he could do the same with Houston’s existing talent.

The past two seasons for the Houston Texans weren’t just brutal in the standings, but also across their roster.

Houston truly didn’t have any answers at some positions and sought a platoon of veterans as a stopgap, as was the case in 2021 at running back. The Texans also were unable to help younger talent meet their potential, as was the case with former 2019 second-round defensive back Lonnie Johnson and 2019 fifth-round defensive end Charles Omenihu.

While Omenihu exists as an example of how the Texans squandered talent, he also represents what new coach DeMeco Ryans may be able to do with untapped pieces. Consider Omenihu spent the past 32 games, including six playoff games, with the San Francisco 49ers since 2021, all of which time Ryans was the defensive coordinator.

According to Braxton Howard from Pro Football Focus, Omenihu finished as their No. 8 on their list of edge defenders in pressures on true pass sets. This is a list wherein Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa were at the top, and Omenihu finished ahead of Maxx Crosby and Matthew Judon.

Omenihu had a strong year in San Francisco, which led him to sign with the reigning Super Bowl champs this offseason. On true pass sets, Omenihu totaled 35 quarterback hurries — tied for third with Haason Reddick and Josh Allen. He posted a career-high 62 total pressures in 2022, including seven sacks.

After being traded mid-season in 2021 from Houston to San Francisco, Omenihu continued to have a solid impact. He displayed an 82.3 pass-rush grade in 2021 and put up a 75.6 pass-rush grade last season. To this point, Omenihu has been more of a rotational pass rusher. In Kansas City, he will have a relatively clear path to start on the edge.

While the Texans undoubtedly have a premier edge rusher for the future in Will Anderson, defensive end Jonathan Greenard has yet to turn in a good season. Jerry Hughes is also optimistic about the attacking scheme Ryans is deploying as it favors the defensive line.

The Texans may have had the right pieces all along; it just took the right coach to cultivate the production.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1416]

Ranking the AFC West by edge rushers

How does each team in the AFC West compare in terms of their edge rushing duos?

No position on the defense is at more of a premium these days than pass rush. Let’s check in on the state of the AFC West in that arena.

Chiefs DL Charles Omenihu named to Touchdown Wire’s All-Underrated Team for 2023

Our friends at @TheNFLWire thinks people are sleeping on #Chiefs DL Charles Omenihu heading into 2023.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

Could one of the newest members of the Kansas City Chiefs actually be their most underrated player heading into the 2023 NFL season?

Our friend Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire recently assembled a list of the most underrated player on all 32 NFL teams, naming a secret superstar for each team heading into 2023. Omenihu was his choice for the Chiefs given his ability to affect the quarterback from a number of different gaps.

Check it out:

Like a lot of players, Charles Omenihu got better when he was coached by former 49ers defensive coordinator and new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. Omenihu, selected in the fifth round of the 2019 draft out of Texas, was a decent rotational pass-rusher for the Texans for 2 1/2 seasons. But when the 49ers traded for him in November, 2021, the light went on. Now, Omenihu will ply his trade with the Chiefs in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, on a two-year, $16 million contract.

Last season, the 6-foot-5, 280 pound Omenihu had seven sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 43 quarterback hurries in just 475 pass-rushing snaps. He’s more of a multi-gap pass-rusher than a run defender, and that’s fine, because he’s become quite good at the whole pass-rushing thing from all over the place. Spagnuolo loves to bring chaos with his fronts, so he’ll have fun with Omenihu.

Farrar emphasized Omenihu’s versatility and utility by showing his two sacks during the NFC Wild-Card round against the Seattle Seahawks last season. On one sack, Omenihu was shaded over the center and rushed all the way around the right tackle, putting the guard tasked with blocking him in conflict. On the other sack, Omenihu used a slick inside counter move. You can check both of those plays out over on Touchdown Wire.

Basically, Omenihu is going to provide Steve Spagnuolo with another pass-rushing chess piece who can wear a lot of different hats on a snap-to-snap basis.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]