Odafe Oweh’s Arrival Has Supercharged the Chargers’ Pass Rush - and Their Playoff Hopes
When the Los Angeles Chargers pulled the trigger on an October trade for edge rusher Odafe Oweh, it wasn’t just a depth move. It was a calculated swing at unlocking a dormant pass rush - and it’s paid off in a big way.
General manager Joe Hortiz sent safety Alohi Gilman and a fifth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for Oweh and a future seventh-rounder. On paper, it was a fair deal.
Baltimore needed help on the back end to free up Kyle Hamilton for more nickel work. The Chargers, meanwhile, were desperate for pass-rushing help with Khalil Mack on injured reserve and their defensive front struggling to generate consistent pressure.
Fast forward to today, and the Chargers’ defense looks like a different unit - and Oweh is a big reason why.
A Fresh Start, a Fierce Impact
Oweh came to L.A. with no sacks in five games for the Ravens this season. But the change of scenery has flipped a switch.
He debuted for the Chargers in Week 6 against the Dolphins and wasted no time making an impact, notching a sack in his first game. Since then, he’s been on a tear.
With two more sacks in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, Oweh now has seven in nine games with the Chargers. That’s not just a bounce-back - that’s a player finding his rhythm at the perfect time. And with free agency looming in March, the timing couldn’t be better for the 27-year-old edge rusher.
“This team has afforded me the opportunity to just be free, be me,” Oweh said after the win in Kansas City. “They trust me. They believe in me.”
That belief is showing up on the stat sheet - and on the field.
The Trio That’s Changing Everything
Once Mack returned from IR in Week 7 and resumed a full workload in Week 8, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter got creative. He started deploying Mack, Oweh, and second-year breakout Tuli Tuipulotu together in passing situations - and it’s been a nightmare for opposing offenses.
With Tuipulotu often sliding inside, the Chargers are putting three legit pass-rushing threats on the field at once. That kind of alignment forces offensive lines into impossible decisions. You can’t double all three - and when one gets a one-on-one, someone’s getting home.
The numbers back it up. According to TruMedia, when Mack, Oweh, and Tuipulotu are on the field together, the Chargers are generating a 55% pressure rate.
That’s not just good - that’s elite. For context, the league average is 36.3%, and the Vikings lead the NFL at 44.5%.
The Chargers are blowing that out of the water in this specific package.
They’ve already racked up 12 sacks and four strip sacks on just 61 snaps with the trio on the field. That’s production at a ridiculous clip.
“What wins in this league on passing downs is the ability to affect the quarterback,” Minter said. “If you can do that with four, and cover behind it, it’s a tough combination to beat.”
And right now, the Chargers are beating a lot of people with it.
Building Chemistry, Sharing the Wealth
One of the underrated aspects of this pass-rush surge? The unselfishness.
These aren’t three guys chasing individual stats. They’re working in sync - running stunts, setting up each other’s rush lanes, sacrificing their own path to the quarterback so a teammate can get home.
“Whatever it takes to win,” Mack said. “We’re willing to do for each other.”
“There’s so many people you got to account for,” Oweh added. “I love that package.”
Tuipulotu, who leads the team in sacks (12) and pressures (64), put it best: “Sometimes the quarterback just falls in your lap.”
That kind of chemistry doesn’t just happen. It’s built through trust, reps, and a shared mindset. And it’s giving the Chargers an identity on defense that they’ve lacked for much of the season.
A Look Back - and What’s Next
Last year, Minter had a similar trio with Mack, Tuipulotu, and Joey Bosa. That group saw 82 snaps together and posted a 38.5% pressure rate - solid, but not quite what this year’s trio is doing.
The difference? Tuipulotu’s continued rise and Oweh’s fit in Minter’s scheme.
Oweh brings a different kind of speed and bend off the edge. Tuipulotu has taken a leap in his second season. And Mack, even at 33, still has the power and savvy to dominate in key moments.
Together, they’re forming one of the most disruptive front-line combinations in the league - just in time for the Chargers’ playoff push.
The Offseason Question
Of course, the looming question is whether this trio can stay together beyond 2025.
Mack is on a one-year deal and will be a free agent. Oweh is playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and is also set to hit the market. Tuipulotu is under contract but will be eligible for an extension after this season - and he’s playing his way into a big one.
Keeping all three won’t be easy. It’ll take some cap gymnastics and a clear commitment from the front office. But for now, that’s a problem for March.
Right now, the Chargers are rolling with a pass rush that’s not just getting hot - it’s changing games.
“Joe Hortiz made a tremendous addition to the club,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said, and he’s not wrong.
Oweh’s arrival has reshaped the Chargers’ defense. He’s not just playing better - he’s playing smarter, faster, and with a confidence that’s hard to miss.
“I feel like I’m coming into my prime,” Oweh said. “I’m starting to understand things better - how to rush, how to set people up, how to build my rush. It’s all coming together at the right time.”
And for the Chargers, that time might just be now.