Versatile Odom shows improvement
GREEN BAY - If the Green Bay Packers didn’t think they had something with rookie linebacker Chris Odom, they wouldn’t have kept him on the roster for 16 games last season with a total of 59 snaps played.
What they saw in practice Tuesday had to validate their decision some.
Odom won’t get the benefit of the prospect label this time, which made his performance even more important. On the fifth day of practice, Odom spent a good deal of it in the backfield, showing he could be a good fit for the hybrid end/linebacker position in Mike Pettine’s defense.
“I’ve been here since the season, so it’s time for me to show my improvement I made,” Odom said. “I think today was a step forward. I think it just goes to the improvements I made ever since training camp has started.
“I just have to keep on making improvements. Today wasn’t perfect.”
When the Packers claimed Odom off waivers from the Atlanta Falcons, he was a 6-foot-4, 273-pound defensive end. The scouting department looked at him as someone who could slim down and play outside linebacker in the Packers’ 3-4 defense.
Odom didn’t get much of a chance to show what he could do last year. He was inactive for seven games and did not play in two others. Most of his action came on special teams.
Over the off-season, Odom worked on preparing himself for Pettine’s defense, which could be in a 3-4 one week and 4-3 the next. It means some of the outside linebackers are going to play a defensive end position in certain four-down alignments, so Odom wanted to make sure he was quick enough to play outside and strong enough to play inside.
He dropped 20 pounds and the improvement in his pass rush was evident in practice.
“Now that I’ve been an outside linebacker, I know how to do both,” he said. “So I know how to be a handdown true defensive end in certain situations or I can stand up and be an outside linebacker.
“(It helps to be) a universal player. The more knowledge you have, the more you’re worth.”
Gutekunst practicing patience: General manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday he wasn’t shopping for an inside linebacker after the knee injury Jake Ryan suffered Monday.
Though the Packers haven’t revealed the extent of Ryan’s injury, it appeared serious and there’s a chance he will be out for the season. He was scheduled to have tests on his right knee Tuesday.
Behind Blake Martinez, the Packers have third-round pick Oren Burks, three undrafted free agents and a firstyear player with no regular-season experience.
Getting his kicks
Mason Crosby has not suffered from having a new holder and two new long snappers. In two kicking sessions, Crosby has connected on 14 of 16 field goals.
Rookie punter JK Scott has held on all 16 attempts, while long snappers Hunter Bradley and Zach Triner have split the snaps.