The Houston Texans have elevated veteran safety and special teams player George Odum from their practice squad for the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It is Odum’s second practice squad elevation this season.
Odum played 71% of Houston’s special teams snaps against the Buffalo Bills and recorded a tackle in that game, according to a report cited in the source. The Texans lost that matchup 36-31. The report also listed Odum with 205 career tackles, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Odum is in his ninth NFL season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent and has earned First Team All-Pro recognition with the Indianapolis Colts and Second Team All-Pro honors with the San Francisco 49ers. The article’s season summary lists him with 209 total tackles, four forced fumbles, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 109 games, including 12 starts.
Caleb Bullock and Reed Blankenship are healthy, but Houston retained Odum as a special teams option. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans praised Odum’s preseason playmaking while players were competing for roster spots. Pro Football Focus ranked Odum 26th among 29 Texans special teams players for Week 1, although the source noted that the rating did not show how he performed in individual phases.
Odum was released by the Texans and then re-signed to the practice squad. He can be elevated one more time under the current process. After that, Houston would have to add him to its 53-man roster or use another option. The Texans play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, after the Bengals game, which could provide Odum’s final practice squad elevation.
