The Los Angeles Chargers' loss to the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round was disappointing beyond measure.
The team fell short yet again in the biggest moments, failing to mount any offensive momentum. They must now enter the offseason still in search of their first playoff win of the Justin Herbert era.
Yet there is still reason for optimism. The Chargers have just under $110 million in cap space on the table for next season, giving them the most financial flexibility in the league. They should be able to address a number of holes in their roster as a result.
Tough decisions will need to be made, but edge rusher Odafe Oweh made one thing abundantly clear in spite of the crushing defeat. He needs to get paid this offseason, and Los Angeles must do whatever is necessary to bring him back.
Odafe Oweh must be one of the Chargers' main priorities this offseason
When Khalil Mack went down with a gruesome arm injury early in the season, Los Angeles new they needed to add a difference-making pass rusher to their rotation. They quickly acquired Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Alohi Gilman.
At the time, no one imagined that Oweh would have the impact he did.
Across 12 regular season games, he amassed 7.5 sacks, 28 tackles, and 13 quarterback hits. Even when Mack returned, he carved out a role as a strong rotational edge rusher alongside him and Tuli Tuipulotu.
Los Angeles's pass rush quickly became a formidable unit again with him in the mix.
Against New England, he was perhaps the Chargers' best player. He garnered four tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles on just 25 of the team's 64 defensive snaps.
He is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and that is part of the reason Baltimore moved on from him in the first place. The Chargers now have only one choice: pay the man his due.
After the game, Oweh talked about how disappointing the loss was, also stating that he wants to be back with the team next season:
Odafe Oweh: "I feel like we're a better team. And Any other day, we beat them. We just ain't have it today, so that's the more annoying part."
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) January 12, 2026
Oweh is an unrestricted free agent but said he wants to be in L.A. He had three sacks today, a single game postseason franchise record.
While Mack's decision about his retirement is still looming, Los Angeles desperately needs Oweh back no matter what. If Mack returns, their trio of pass rushers will continue to be one of the most formidable in the league especially if Oweh and Tuipulotu continue to develop. If Mack chooses to retire, Oweh will almost certainly be slated for a starting role.
Based on his comments above, Oweh clearly believes this team is capable of more than they accomplished this season. Los Angeles now has no choice but to pay him what he's worth this offseason.