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George Odum

49ers Release S George Odum

July 19th, 2025 at 7:23pm CST by Ely Allen

7:23pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Odom underwent offseason elbow surgery. That explains his recent NFI designation as well as the decision to release him. Odom should be sidelined for another six to eight weeks, per Rapoport; once healthy, he will be a candidate to re-sign with San Francisco.

4:58pm: Days after placing him on the active/non-football injury list with an undisclosed ailment, the 49ers have made the decision to release veteran safety George Odum, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Though, never a true starter in the San Francisco secondary, Odum earned second-team All-Pro honors as a special teamer in his first season with the team.

Odum’s special teams play was the reason that he found a home in the NFL to begin with. As an undrafted safety out of Central Arkansas in 2018, Odum signed with the Colts and made the initial 53-man roster because of his contributions on special teams. As a selfless, hard-working contributor, Odum was often called off the bench for spot starts and fill-in duty in the secondary. In his third season in Indianapolis, Odum was named as the first-team All-Pro special teamer in recognition of his contributions.

In the final year of his rookie contract in Indy, Odum started seven games due to injuries to starters Julian Blackmon and Andrew Sendejo. Still, when his contract expired, Odum signed with San Francisco because of his special teams abilities. In his first two years with the 49ers, he didn’t see any extended time on defense, almost solely working on special teams. Last year, though, Talanoa Hufanga‘s absence forced Odum into the starting lineup for the first two games of the season, and he got time in a Week 6 game in Seattle, as well, when Malik Mustapha exited early with an injury.

Odum hasn’t been immune to injuries himself, though, these past two seasons. His 2023 campaign ended after 11 games when he suffered a torn biceps injury, and he only played 12 games last year because of a knee injury late in the season.

Odum’s release continues an offseason of special teams changes under new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. The team is already heading into the 2025 season with a new longsnapper and punter, and veteran kicker Greg Joseph was brought in as some offseason competition for Jake Moody, as well. Odum was just the latest special teamer to fall under the new position coach.

Still, Odum is an extremely talented special teams asset, and for teams in need of depth at safety, Odum’s three interceptions, nine passes defensed, and four forced fumbles in limited time are nothing to scoff at. Expect a few teams to kick the tires on Odum and evaluate his health in the runup to the 2025 regular season.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/18/25

July 18th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL transactions as we head into the weekend:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

The Lions have added three players to the roster today after a working them out. Bootle has had a cup of coffee with a few teams in the league after going undrafted in 2021. Small didn’t see the field at all as an undrafted rookie with the Titans last year, and Russell becomes the latest undrafted rookie free agent to sign a deal this year. His tenacity has been rewarded two and a half months after the draft.

49ers Activate S Talanoa Hufanga

December 7th, 2024 at 4:19pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers have been bombarded with injuries this year, but today they’ll get a bit of relief. San Francisco has officially made the move to activate safety Talanoa Hufanga from injured reserve. After attempting to make a comeback earlier this year, the hope is that, this time, Hufanga will be healthy enough and here to stay.

Hufanga’s initial return was from a torn ACL that he suffered just over a year ago. The team activated him from the active/PUP list just prior to the start of the regular season to ensure that he wouldn’t miss the first four games of the year. A limited runup to the season meant a limited snap share when he finally did return to the lineup, though, and after missing the first two games of the season, Hufanga made his official return in Week 3.

Hufanga missed a game after his 2024 debut before getting his second start, but he left that second game early and did not return. In the process of his comeback, Hufanga had suffered ligament damage in his wrist, necessitating an unfortunate return to IR. There was seemingly no guarantee that he would return this season, but the team ended up opening his practice window earlier this week. Hufanga, who is in a contract year, will not be 100 percent in his return as he still needs support for his injured wrist. With a potential free agency run coming, though, Hufanga will attempt to give it a go.

In order to make room on the 53-man roster for Hufanga, the Niners officially made the move to place running back Jordan Mason on IR. Joining Mason on IR will be backup safety George Odum, who has missed the past week of practice dealing with a knee issue that will seemingly end his season.

With an additional roster spot being made available, San Francisco will sign practice squad offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez to the active roster. Signed to the practice squad last week after some time in Indianapolis, Gutierrez was elevated for last weekend’s contest but hasn’t appeared in a game since 2022.

Joining Gutierrez for gameday from the practice squad will be linebacker Jalen Graham and running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. As standard practice squad elevations, Graham and Vaughn will revert to the practice squad after the game, while Gutierrez will remain on the 53-man roster.

49ers Notes: Hufanga, Puni, Davis

August 18th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers continue to work on resolutions to their high-profile contract disputes with WR Brandon Aiyuk and LT Trent Williams, and the club is also waiting on 2022 First Team All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga. As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle details, Hufanga — who sustained a torn ACL in November — was cleared to take the next steps in his rehab, but that does not yet include practice.

“We can push him a little bit harder,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Not against players. But those type of dynamic cuts. Hopefully, he has a real good week with it and we can talk about easing him into practice.”

With the start of the regular season fast approaching, the fact that Hufanga has not been cleared to practice yet suggests that he may not be ready for Week 1 as originally hoped. George Odum has been taking first-team reps in Hufanga’s absence, though fourth-round rookie Malik Mustapha is pushing the veteran for playing time.

2024 is the final season of Hufanga’s rookie contract, so an early and productive return to the starting lineup will be a major boon to his future earning power.

Now for a few more items, including several injury-related notes, from the Bay Area:

  • Thanks in part to injuries to Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano, third-round rookie Dominick Puni saw immediate action as the first-team right guard in the early days of training camp. It was noted at the time that the former Central Missouri blocker, who finished his collegiate career as a tackle at Kansas, was catching on quickly to the Niners’ complex blocking scheme, and it seems he has continued to build momentum. Per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required), Puni is the presumptive RG starter, although the team wants to see further growth from him.
  • Puni’s fellow starting guard, LG Aaron Banks, recently sustained a broken little finger, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Like Hufanga, Banks is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and though he has served as the full-time starter at left guard over each of the past two seasons, he has not exactly been a world-beater. A strong showing in 2024 will help him secure a notable second NFL contract, even if it does not come from the 49ers (the club has not been overly willing to pay up for interior lineman in recent years, and we heard last month that Puni could eventually take over for Banks at LG). Luckily, Banks could return for Week 1.
  • The news is not as good for DT Kalia Davis, who will undergo knee surgery and who will miss half of the 2024 season as a result (as relayed by Barrows). Davis, a 2022 sixth-rounder, sustained a torn ACL during his final year of college and missed his entire rookie season as a result. He appeared in a total of 54 defensive snaps across three games last year, but he performed well in last week’s preseason opener (a sack and two backfield hits). His efforts to carve out a more meaningful role in San Francisco’s D-line rotation will be put on hold, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting that surgery is necessary to remove a floating body in Davis’ knee.

Talanoa Hufanga Targeting Week 1 Return; Ji’Ayir Brown Likely To Remain 49ers Starter

June 7th, 2024 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dre Greenlaw was not the only 49ers defensive standout unavailable for the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII; the team played the stretch run without All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga. The two-year starter’s late-season ACL tear leaves his status for 2024 in question.

Hufanga suffered the injury during the 49ers’ Thanksgiving win over the Seahawks. It is not certain Hufanga joins Greenlaw as starters sidelined to open the season, but the contract-year DB is still a ways away from being ready to return.

“The goal is to ready by Week 1,” Hufanga said, via 49ersWebZone.com’s David Bonilla. “The goal is to be in training camp, not at the very beginning, but to ramp me up correctly, just so it’s not, ‘Throw you out there to the wolves and good luck.'”

A former fifth-round pick, Hufanga showed himself to be a difference-maker at safety during the 2022 season. He became the second 49ers safety this century, joining Dashon Goldson (2012), to earn first-team All-Pro acclaim. Hufanga, 25, profiles as an extension candidate for a 49ers team flush with those. In the secondary alone, Hufanga joins Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir as contract-year cogs. Ward is targeting a 49ers extension; Hufanga stands to be in this conversation upon return from his knee injury.

After a four-interception 2022, Hufanga picked off three passes before his injury last season. The 49ers moved third-round rookie Ji’Ayir Brown into the lineup alongside Tashaun Gipson. Although Gipson has come up as a player the 49ers would consider re-signing, the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman notes Brown looks to be locked into a starting role. This would shift the conversation of a San Francisco safety addition to that player merely being a placeholder until Hufanga returns.

The 49ers signed De’Vondre Campbell for a gig like this, as the three-year Packers starter is expected to begin the season as a three-down linebacker alongside Fred Warner until Greenlaw returns. Brown moving to a level in which the 49ers feel comfortable using him as a full-timer would change the conversation at safety, and it would give the defending NFC champions a low-cost piece on a team featuring several contract situations. Brown’s rookie contract runs through 2026.

The Penn State product started five games in place of Hufanga during the regular season and was in San Francisco’s lineup for its three playoff outings. He intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass in the Super Bowl. While Gipson started the past two seasons with the 49ers, the well-traveled veteran has played 12 seasons and is not a lock to pursue a 13th.

San Francisco drafted Malik Mustapha in the fourth round and used All-Pro special-teamer George Odum as the first-stringer alongside Brown during the offseason program. If Gipson does not want to play an age-34 season, the 49ers would have some options as veteran insurance while Hufanga rehabs. A few free agent safeties, however, probably view themselves as overqualified for a placeholder/insurance gig. While the market includes Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, they will likely hold out for a better opportunity. Marcus Maye and Eddie Jackson join this trio as unattached, and opportunities might be scarce come training camp. This should put the 49ers in good position to add if they choose to.

49ers To Extend S George Odum

March 12th, 2024 at 12:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

George Odum did not profile as a free agent the 49ers wanted to retain, but the veteran special-teamer remains in the club’s plans. San Francisco has reached an Odum extension agreement.

The All-Pro special-teamer’s deal will now run through 2026, via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who reports the team and player have agreed to a deal worth up to $10MM. Odum has been with the 49ers since 2022.

Sporting first- and second-team All-Pro nods over a six-year career, the former Colts safety made an unexpected return to help the 49ers last season. Suffering what was believed to be a season-ending biceps injury on Thanksgiving, but he made it back during the NFC playoffs. The 49ers are extending this partnership soon after.

Sustaining an injury that required surgery, Odum rehabbed and was activated from IR in time for the 49ers’ divisional-round game. He played in each of San Francisco’s playoff contests, helping the team play even with the Chiefs until their overtime walk-off. Odum, 30, does not play much on defense. But the 49ers have used him often on special teams. The ex-Colts UDFA logged 79% of the 49ers’ ST work in 2022 — a second-team All-Pro season — and was on the field for 69% of those plays last season.

49ers Activate S George Odum, Place DE Clelin Ferrell On IR

January 20th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after losing starting safety Talanoa Hufanga for the year to a torn ACL, the 49ers were worried that they would be down another body in the secondary after George Odum suffered a biceps injury that the team feared could be season-ending. Luckily, they were wrong. San Francisco activated Odum off of injured reserve today, opening a roster spot for him by placing defensive end Clelin Ferrell on IR in his place.

Odum, a former undrafted free agent, signed a three-year contract with the 49ers after a breakout year that saw him start seven games for the Colts. Up until that breakout season, Odum had seen most of his use coming on special teams. The patient defender was given his opportunity to start thanks to multiple injuries to starters Khari Willis and Andrew Sendejo. He took advantage of that opportunity, finishing sixth on the team with 55 total tackles while recording an interception and two passes defensed. While Odum may not be a game changer on the 49ers defense, the depth he provides at safety will be a welcome one as San Francisco starts their 2023 playoffs.

Ferrell, a former top-four pick out of Clemson, has ultimately failed to live up to his draft stock over his five years in the league. After seeing his fifth-year option declined by the Raiders, Ferrell signed a one-year deal to come to San Francisco. Despite not meeting expectations in Las Vegas, Ferrell stepped in as a full-time starter for the 49ers this season. Ferrell hasn’t been very productive as a pass rusher (only 3.5 sacks), but he hasn’t needed to be as Nick Bosa (10.5), Javon Hargrave (7.0), and Arik Armstead (5.0) have fed off of their combined pass rushing effort. With Ferrell out with a knee injury, trade acquisition Chase Young, who has been coming off the bench since being acquired before Week 10, will once again step into a starting role.

In addition to the two IR transactions, the team also announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Defensive tackles Alex Barrett and T.Y. McGill will be called up to add some depth to the defensive line against the Packers tonight.

49ers Work Out CB Casey Hayward, Expect Arik Armstead Back For Playoffs

January 9th, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Verrett ran into yet another unfortunate setback last week, suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in practice. The 49ers are looking at adding another veteran cornerback as insurance.

Enter Casey Hayward, whom KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes worked out for the 49ers on Tuesday. Hayward, 34, has not played this season. But the 49ers, as their continued Verrett interest and past in-season additions show, place value on veteran corners in the event of injuries to regulars. They again want a veteran corner on their practice squad, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

San Francisco brought in the likes of Jackrabbit Jenkins, Josh Norman, Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard from 2021-22; that group joined Verrett, whom the team continued to prioritize in recent offseasons despite his near-annual injury troubles. Hayward spent last season with the Falcons, but the team cut him early during the 2023 offseason.

The former Packers, Chargers and Raiders cover man played well in 2021, garnering a two-year, $11MM Atlanta agreement in March 2022. But he sustained a shoulder injury that limited him to six games last season. A 118-game starter who played on five straight Gus Bradley-run defenses from 2017-21, Hayward was medically cleared this summer. The 49ers are in fairly good shape at corner, with Charvarius Ward making the Pro Bowl and Deommodore Lenoir, Ambry Thomas and ex-Hayward Falcons teammate Isaiah Oliver in place as sidekicks.

More relevant to the No. 1-seeded team’s Super Bowl chase: Arik Armstead appears set to return from his latest injury trouble. The veteran defensive tackle has missed the past five games due to foot and knee injuries. Armstead will practice this week, and Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) he could have played against the Rams — had the team needed to win its regular-season finale. A ninth-year 49er, Armstead has been pivotal to the team’s Nick Bosa-era D-lines. He is set to team with Bosa, Javon Hargrave and Chase Young upon returning for the divisional round.

The 49ers also designated safety George Odum for return from IR, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner tweets. Odum, used primarily on special teams during his San Francisco tenure, suffered a biceps injury on Thanksgiving. While that malady was expected to sideline the former All-Pro for the season’s remainder, Odum will be in play to return for the 49ers’ divisional-round game.

The news on safety Tayler Hawkins and defensive end Clelin Ferrell is not as good. Ferrell is likely to miss a few weeks due to a knee injury, Shanahan said. The seventh-year HC did stop short of saying this is a season-ending setback, however. Despite the arrivals of Young and Randy Gregory, Ferrell — who had drifted to healthy-scratch status at points with the Raiders — has started all 17 games this season. Hawkins, a rookie UDFA who made his NFL debut in Sunday’s nonessential Rams tilt, suffered a season-ending wrist injury, the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman notes.

Shanahan added Drake Jackson, who has been on IR since November with a knee injury, is not healthy enough to practice. In the event Odum comes back and Jackson is healthy enough to return, the 49ers are in good shape for injury activations. After using all eight of their IR-return moves during the regular season last year, they have five activations left.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/23

November 27th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Waived from reserve/retired list: WR John Ross

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Ross signed a reserve/futures deal with the Chiefs in January but retired before training camp. The Combine 40-yard dash record holder now intends to resume his career, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Ross, who turned 28 today, has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 with the Giants.

A Raiders spring signee, Shelley did not make Las Vegas’ 53-man roster. The Rams picked him up before the season and have used him mostly on special teams. Shelley, who Bears and Vikings prior to this two-team 2023, has logged 76 defensive snaps this season. But the veteran cornerback has been on the field for 65% of Los Angeles’ special teams plays.

49ers Fear S George Odum Will Miss Rest Of Season

November 24th, 2023 at 9:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Back in dominant form after a midseason slump, the 49ers did not escape their one-sided Thanksgiving win without another major injury. A week after losing Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL, San Francisco is likely to be without George Odum moving forward.

The veteran special-teamer left Thursday’s game after sustaining a biceps injury, and Kyle Shanahan said (via 49erswebzone.com’s David Bonilla) the All-Pro role player “most likely” suffered a tear. Odum, 30, is in his second season with the 49ers.

An MRI has since confirmed a tear, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, though with this a two- to four-month recovery, the possibility of Odum coming back late in the season remains open. The 49ers have a better injury outlook compared to 2022, when they used all eight of their IR activations during the regular season. An Odum return sounds doubtful, but the team could probably make it work roster-wise.

Odum left the game after DeeJay Dallas‘ muffed punt gave the 49ers possession in the second quarter. The 49ers may not feel this impact their secondary directly, but the depth is running thin at this position. Signed to a three-year, $5.7MM deal during the 2022 offseason, Odum has played only 37 defensive snaps this year. This comes after he logged 38 in 2022. But the 49ers are set to lose a top-tier special teams talent and a player with some starting experience on defense.

Coming to San Francisco from Indianapolis, Odum started seven games for the Colts in 2021. He has also collected two All-Pro honors for ST work, earning first-team acclaim in 2020 and second-team recognition after his first 49ers season. The former UDFA has 12 tackles this season.

The 49ers played their Week 12 game with three safeties — Odum and starters Tashaun Gipson and Ji’Ayir Brown. At least one roster move will come out of this latest injury setback. The team lost Jimmie Ward in free agency but added Brown in Round 3 of this year’s draft. While second-year UDFA Tayler Hawkins resides on San Francisco’s practice squad, the NFC West leaders may need to look outside the organization for a depth piece in the wake of Hufanga and Odum’s injuries.

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