Andy Reid Responds to the Suspension of Charles Omenihu

The precise number of games defensive end Charles Omenihu would be able to play during the 2023 regular season was never known from the time he inked a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now that the figure has been confirmed, the team’s job is to devise a strategy for what will happen next.

Due to his six-game suspension for breaking the NFL’s personal conduct rules, the 25-year-old pass rusher will be unavailable to Kansas City for the first several months of the season as one of their big offseason acquisitions. This is a serious setback for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, and it will put a great deal of pressure on other players to step up in Omenihu’s stead. After training camp on Monday morning, coach Andy Reid shared his thoughts about Omenihu’s suspension.

Reid remarked, “You never know about those or how many games they’re going to get.” We’re at that point because he received the six. We were certain that something would happen. That’s the direction they went. The other men will stand up and go when we resolve it.”

Now that everything has been resolved, he also gave Omenihu his message.

Reid said, “Well, it’s done, yeah.” “So he just needs to keep working hard, make sure he doesn’t give up on the football part, and then focus on his off-field responsibilities.”

Omenihu is still permitted to practice with the squad in the preseason despite the suspension. Before starting to serve his league-mandated suspension, he can also participate in Kansas City’s next three games (against the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, as well as at home against the Cleveland Browns) while getting some live repetitions. However, Omenihu won’t be able to make a comeback until October 13 because the Chiefs don’t play until September 7. Who will take over for him in terms of output? The solution is nuanced.

Three of the prominent non-Omenihu names still in the Chiefs defensive end room are BJ Thompson, Truman Jones, and Franklin Anudike-Uzomah. Thompson has no NFL snaps. Malik Herring and Joshua Kaindoh, the players above them, have combined for just 134 regular-season plays in their careers. A full season’s worth of repetitions (730) has been completed by 2022 first-round pick George Karlaftis, while 2020 draft selection Mike Danna (1,339) leads the room, but the cupboard is still largely empty. Reid does, however, say that the club has faith in its present group to pull through.

Reid said, “They’re managing it nicely.” “We’ll just watch how the preseason plays out in terms of who steps up and who doesn’t, and then we’ll take it from there. I believe there are enough of us to handle it.