The Los Angeles Chargers have several key players set to hit free agency in March, namely outside linebacker Odafe Oweh. He'll have no shortage of suitors as an ascending talent at a premium position who's firmly in his prime.
Few clubs have as much cap space as the Chargers entering the offseason. So, they're well-equipped to win a bidding war to retain Oweh. However, that doesn't mean rival teams won't try prying him away.
Ironically, Oweh profiles as a logical target for the squad that traded him roughly four months ago, the Baltimore Ravens; go figure. FOX Sports' Greg Auman named them as a prospective landing spot, which checks out, but would be a nightmare scenario for Chargers fans.
NFL reporter triggers Chargers fans by naming Ravens as a potential fit for Odafe Oweh
A first-round pick in 2021, Oweh spent four-plus seasons in Baltimore. His familiarity with the franchise and city alone is fascinating. Yet, perhaps more notably, former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is now the head coach of the Ravens, as Auman mentions.
It's hardly a coincidence that Oweh took off upon getting dealt to the Chargers. He proved to be an excellent fit in Minter's scheme, racking up 13 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks across 12 games. With that in mind, Auman identified Baltimore as a sensible destination.
Talk about a possible doomsday scenario. The idea of losing Oweh already and putting a massive damper on the Chargers' 2026 plans is bad enough. Seeing him return to the AFC rival Ravens would be the awful ice on top of a terrible cake for Los Angeles.
For what it's worth, the Chargers' new defensive coordinator, Chris O'Leary, unpromptedly highlighted Oweh during his introductory press conference. That hardly means the latter will stay put, though it's an indicator of Los Angeles' interest in working out a contract extension. Be that as it may, the Minter-led Ravens ostensibly loom largely.
Whether it's the Chargers, Ravens or someone else, whoever wins the Oweh sweepstakes will have to pony up. His $19.3 million projected annual market value (h/t Spotrac) would make him one of the highest-paid defenders in football on a per-year basis. Nevertheless, he showed why front offices shouldn't be afraid to pay the lofty price tag.
Oweh reportedly added 20 pounds of muscle in preparation for the 2025 campaign, which evidently paid dividends. In turn, the 27-year-old established himself as one of the NFL's most physically imposing edge presences. He finished 10th among his position group in ESPN's pass rush win rate rankings (17 percent).