For the second straight week, a 49ers injury tempered the celebration of a big San Francisco victory. This time, it’s backup defensive back and special-teams ace George Odum who is hitting the injury report, after he suffered a biceps injury in the Thanksgiving win over Seattle.
Coach Kyle Shanahan, who has long heralded top-shelf special-teams players, was none too pleased about having to deliver the 49ers injury news.
“To lose George, he’s been unbelievable,” Shanahan said during his post-game press conference, per 49ers Web Zone. “He’s been one of the best special teams players in the league here, and he’s a very good safety for us, too. So we’ve been thin there with the depth, and losing him is a big deal. We’ll have to see what our options are here, though, when we get in.”
One potential option, raised by AtoZSports.com, is a reunion with former defensive back Tavarius Moore, a third-round pick for the 49ers in 2018. Moore had a solid start to his career, and played all 16 games in each of his first three seasons. He recorded a Super Bowl LIV interception on Patrick Mahomes in 2020.
But Moore ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2021 and was not the same player when he came back in 2022. Moore signed with the Packers in March of this year but was released in September.
Outside Chance George Odum Back for Playoffs
As for George Odum, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero delivered the bad news on his biceps injury on Friday.
As Pelissero wrote on Twitter: “An MRI confirmed that #49ers safety and special-teams ace George Odum suffered a torn biceps Thursday, per source. He’ll undergo surgery soon and faces a 2-to-4 month recovery, leaving an outside shot of coming back late in the playoffs.”
An MRI confirmed that #49ers safety and special-teams ace George Odum suffered a torn biceps Thursday, per source. He’ll undergo surgery soon and faces a 2-to-4 month recovery, leaving an outside shot of coming back late in the playoffs.
Certainly Odum would be welcomed back if he could get onto the field, but that is far from a guarantee. He had played only 5% of the defense’s snaps this season, but had been on the field for 69% of the 49ers’ special-teams plays.
With Talanoa Hufanga out for the year after ACL surgery, Odum was bumped up on the depth chart. Free safety Tashaun Gipson is still healthy, and rookie Ji’Ayir Brown has moved into the lineup, playing 100% of the snaps on Thursday. But George Odum was the sole backup.
Tavarius Moore a Solid 49ers Injury Replacement
As AtoZ Sports writer Nicholas McGee pointed out, the 49ers might seek to focus on replacing Odum’s special-teams contributions. But the depth at safety now should be a major, major concern, too.
The fact that Tavarius Moore has familiarity with the team—and had a workout last month—should make him a prime candidate to come back.
“Moore had a workout with the 49ers last month but was not signed by the team. The urgency of the situation and Moore’s familiarity with a defense that hasn’t undergone any huge philosophical changes with Steve Wilks as coordinator could prompt San Francisco to give him another chance.
“San Francisco will likely still want to add another player at the position who could theoretically help replace some of Odum’s special teams impact but, from a purely defensive perspective, Moore figures to be a standout candidate as a player who can step in and provide insurance to Gipson and Brown.”
Don’t forget, though, that Shanahan praised Tavarius Moore as a special teams player during his time with the 49ers, too.
“He played half a year as a starter and we thought he finished his last five games as a true starting safety, and before that he was always one of our best special teams players,” Shanahan said last year.
That could make him an ideal replacement for George Odum.
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49ers Urged to Reunite With Former 3rd-Round Pick Amid DB Injuries