The Washington Commanders made a notable move to improve their offense in free agency by agreeing to sign Chig Okonkwo. The tight end spent the last four seasons with the Tennessee Titans after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Maryland.
Okonkwo, who is expected to add a new dynamic to the Commanders’ offense, agreed to a three-year contract worth $30 million. The move adequately addresses one of Washington’s biggest roster needs this offseason following the uncertainty surrounding Zach Ertz’s future.
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Chig Okonkwo started 42 of the 68 games he’s appeared in across the past four seasons in Tennessee, hauling in 194 receptions for 2,017 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He has evolved into a true move tight end, with the versatility to line up all over the formation.
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The tight end becomes the third free agent signing for the Commanders this offseason. He joins defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and defensive back Nick Cross in inking a deal with the team. Washington entered free agency with over $80 million in cap space, offering a lot of flexibility.
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The signing of Chig Okonkwo has generated a lot of reaction among NFL fans. While a section of the fans sees him as a good addition to the thin tight end room, others are not confident about what he offers overall to the offense.
Here’s a look at some of the reactions online:
Analyst applauds the signing of Chig Okonkwo
The signing of Chig Okonkwo by the Washington Commanders is thrilling to Grant Paulsen. The analyst expressed his feelings about the new addition on the “Grant and Danny” podcast minutes after the news broke, applauding the move for the tight end.
“This is the weapon I wanted,” Paulsen said. “Chig Okonkwo. He’s a Terp. Former Maryland Terp and just 26 years old. Absolute dawg in the run game as well. Undersized guy but super competitive in the run game and a weapon after the catch coming off of a career-best 56 catches, 560 yards. Bad quarterback situation in Tennessee.”
Okonkwo will join the Commanders’ tight end room with names like Ben Sinnott, John Bates, Colson Yankoff and Lawrence Cager. His addition is expected to offer a lot of help to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who returns to action next season after an injury-laden season in 2025.
The tight end can dominate the middle of the field in a similar role to what Zach Ertz once provided. However, he also brings significantly more yards-after-catch ability and explosive playmaking potential once the ball is in his hands.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf