49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu made his presence felt against his former team on Thursday night, and it could be a sign of things to come once the regular season begins.
Omenihu had a sack and three tackles for loss in the 49ers' 17-0 preseason finale defeat in Houston against the Texans, which was his first opportunity to face the Texans in Houston since they traded him to the 49ers for a draft pick in 2021. In a postgame conversation with Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, Omenihu, who is a native of Houston, admitted to being "a little bit" emotional heading into the game and sounded satisfied with his performance with a couple exceptions.
"I feel like it was good, but I had misplays out there... a couple plays I wish I had back, but that's what I've got 17 days to iron out and be ready for Week 1," Omenihu said.
#49ers Charles Omenihu drops the hammer for a sack against his old team 😤 pic.twitter.com/UKzleRiyeV
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) August 26, 2022
Omenihu had six tackles in nine regular season games for the 49ers last season, then came on in the playoffs, totaling 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and four quarterback hits in three games. He's shown signs throughout 2022 that he could be ready to take the next step this season and says he's taken his conditioning to another level as he prepares for what he hopes will be a breakout year.
"I definitely feel like I'm in a better condition," Omenihu said. "I've lost weight. I feel as strong as I've been. The conditioning part though is something I want to keep my foot on."
With one year remaining on his rookie contract, Omenihu will be hoping to turn the 2022 season into a substantial profit. He's in a good spot to make it happen and seems set to play a big enough role in the 49ers defense to have a chance to earn a payday down the line.
"100 percent. A major year," said Omenihu, who was drafted by the Texans in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. "I'm glad I'm here for it. Just kind of take it one day at a time, look at the film, see what i could have done better, and go from there."
In the meantime, Omenihu seems to still have plenty of love for Houston and the local fans, which comes as no surprise considering his background as a local, and as a product of the University of Texas. The fans haven't forgotten him and some of them still cheer him on, even if he's no longer on the same team.
"I got more cheers (than boos)," Omenihu said. "Going to Texas, those fans are still going to stay loyal. I think my first two years in Houston were really good so I think the fans still have some love for 9-4."
