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Chigoziem Okonkwo played college football as a tight end at the University of Maryland from 2018 to 2021.

Perhaps one of the Washington Commanders‘ more underrated moves of the offseason was bringing in former Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo in free agency. The team spent the third-largest amount of money of any team across the free agent period. General manager Adam Peters and the front office invested $27 million of the nearly $260 million total towards Okonkwo. 

The deal cements the 26-year-old as the team’s tight end for the next three seasons. The Commanders’ former tight end, Zach Ertz, was a constant safety blanket for Jayden Daniels across his first two seasons. However, while Okonkwo will hope to occupy a similar role, he is a much more explosive option than Ertz. 

Okonkwo displayed flashes of his potential in Tennessee; however, he only accumulated 194 receptions for just over 2,000 yards and eight touchdowns across four seasons. 

While appreciative of his previous opportunities, Okonkwo told analysts Santana Moss, Logan Paulsen, and Fred Smoot on the most recent episode of the “Command Center” podcast, “I feel like this is the place where I can finally just unleash”. 

Okonkwo has already displayed chemistry with Jayden Daniels at OTAs and minicamp. 

Okonkwo praised Daniels, stating, “He’s a dog. He gets the ball out super accurate.”

Okonkwo was notably excited about playing in new offensive coordinator David Blough’s system. When discussing what’s been different about being in Washington’s offense, Okonkwo stated, “So far, there’s been so many more opportunities I’ve had to just run different things…and use my true talents and abilities. It’s awesome, man. I can’t wait.”

Chig Okonkwo May Be The Commanders’ Second Receiving Threat

The Commanders were seeking younger and more explosive playmakers on offense, and Okonkwo certainly fits the bill. Okonkwo finished his sentiment with, “I feel like a player like me who’s really good with the ball in his hands is going to enjoy this offense.”

While Okonkwo will be the team’s true number one tight end, he may end up being the offense’s second-best target. Terry McLaurin is set to be the team’s number one receiving threat as he enters the season fully healthy. However, outside of him, the team doesn’t have a solidified second option. Okonkwo could settle in as the team’s secondary receiving threat. The sky is truly the limit for a player with his athleticism, and it’ll be up to the coaching staff to help him fully realize his potential. 

Commanders Expected To Share A Better Look At The Offense During Training Camp

While we know that Blough’s new offense will feature elements of Kliff Kingsbury’s, as a whole, it is still a relative unknown. Dan Quinn has expressed his desire to put Jayden Daniels under center, and we’ve heard players rave about Blough’s open-door approach to changes, but we haven’t seen it in full action yet. 

The offense is fully expected to revolve around Jayden Daniels and his strengths, and Dan Quinn praised Daniels for how well he has adapted so far to the new scheme. Commanders fans will get a much clearer picture of what to expect on offense as the team prepares for Training Camp in August.

Justin Platt NFL MultiMedia Journalist and Writer at Heavy Sports More about Justin Platt