New Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo was among the top tight ends in this year’s free agency class. For Washington, it was a great addition to the offense. After losing veteran Zach Ertz, the Commanders’ offense lacked a viable receiving threat at the position. Furthermore, even with Ertz on the roster the past two years, Washington didn’t have the ability to threaten all three levels of the defense or have someone who excelled after the catch. Okonkwo fills those voids, and his versatility creates plenty of advantages for Washington’s offense.
Okonkwo excels at moving around the offensive formation. He plays inline, off-line/H-back, split away from the formation (tight or slot), and has the explosiveness at the position to challenge linebackers and defensive backs. The Tennessee Titans did an excellent job getting the football into his hands quickly; however, while he ran plenty of routes, the Titans still underutilized his skill set. He could have run more routes downfield; the Titans often used him on screens, whether in-line or bubbles toward the perimeter.
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There is a conversation about his blocking, and I think that is an important one to have because he will be on the field a lot in Washington. Blocking is unavoidable for him, regardless of the talented blocking tight end, John Bates, being on the roster. Okonkwo is not good at this, and there are times when you’ll see him flat-out lose, but it is not for a lack of effort. Okonkwo does not back down from an assignment; he is a high-level competitor in all phases of the game, which can pay off for the ball carrier on occasion.
In this Trap or Dive film session, I broke down Chig Okonkwo’s strengths and what makes the ascending talent a high-value asset for Jayden Daniels and new OC David Blough.
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