George Odum is set to return for Houston’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after the Texans elevated the veteran safety and special teams player from their practice squad. The move was reported Sept. 19 by heavy.com, citing KPRC 2 reporter Aaron Wilson and a league source.
This is Odum’s second practice-squad elevation. NFL rules allow Houston to call him up once more after this game. The Texans would then need to add him to the 53-man roster or choose another option.
Odum played 71% of Houston’s special teams snaps in the Texans’ 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills and recorded a tackle. The report listed him with 205 career tackles, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Elsewhere in the article, his career totals were given as 209 tackles, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 109 games, including 12 starts.
The ninth-year player entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. He earned First-Team All-Pro recognition with the Indianapolis Colts and Second-Team honors with the San Francisco 49ers. Houston had released him before bringing him back to the practice squad.
Caleb Bullock and Reed Blankenship are both healthy, but Odum provides experience on special teams. Pro Football Focus ranked him 26th among 29 Texans special teams players for the Buffalo game, though the article noted that the service’s published grade does not show how he performed in each individual phase. Coach DeMeco Ryans previously praised Odum’s preseason playmaking.
