Let’s talk! @NFL How much do you value special team players?🤔
— George Odum (@GeorgeOdum) March 15, 2021
Indianapolis Colts safety and All-Pro special teams player George Odum is a restricted free agent and it seems the team is letting him test the market.
While the Colts have the chance to apply the tender on him before the new league year opens on Wednesday, the tweet above seems to indicate that they are letting him test the market to see what kind of deal he can get from another team.
An undrafted free-agent in 2018, Odum has turned into a lead on special teams. He has worked in the rotation at safety before but spent most of his time on special teams in 2020. It helped him earn an All-Pro nod while leading the NFL in special teams stops.
The Colts have their starting duo at safety in Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon but letting Odum test the market might not be the best move if a team winds up snagging him.
We know how Chris Ballard has a set value on each player and won’t go over it, but even an All-Pro special teamer won’t—or at least shouldn’t—break the bank so this is an interesting move, to say the least.
Odum is a restricted free agent which means the Colts can apply a tender on him for a set amount of money for one season. Other teams can try to sign Odum with the Colts having the opportunity to match that team’s offer.
The Colts are seemingly letting all of their unrestricted free agents hit the market before they try to match it, but it wasn’t clear if that extended to the restricted free agents as well, seeing as it’s easier to retain those players.
It will be interesting to see what happens with this situation if Odum hits the market because if that happens, there is at least a chance he finds a new team.
