You think the 49ers noticed special teams were an issues last season?
The team jettisoned special teams coordinator Richard Hightower (now with the Bears), brought in former longtime Seahawks coordinator Brian Schneider and have now made three fairly sizable moves to improve the special teams unit.
San Francisco added former Green Bay linebacker Oren Burks on a two-year deal that could be worth north of $5 million, return ace and slot receiver Ray-Ray McCloud on a two-year deal worth up to $10.4 million and have now added another special teams stud who could help in the secondary.
Per Greg Kyed of PFF, the 49ers gave former Colts safety George Odum a three-year deal worth $10.95 million.
If that name doesn’t register, it’s because he’s largely been renowned on special teams. He was named a first-team All-Pro on special teams in 2020 and wasn’t given a serious look as a starter on defense in his four-year run with the Colts.
In 2021, though, he did see more time in the secondary, playing a career-high 471 defensive snaps (43 percent of the Colts’ defensive snaps) and starting seven of 17 games. He’s played 76 percent or more of their special teams snaps in each of the past three seasons.
Because Odum is not an out-and-out lock to start at safety alongside Jimmie Ward, this doesn’t entirely rule out Jaquiski Tartt returning. It does, however, make it less likely, even if Odum’s contract is heavy on incentives.
San Francisco now has Odum, Talanoa Hufanga and Tarvarius Moore to compete for the starting strong safety spot. The team also has nine draft picks, which provides a prime opportunity to swing on another safety.
It could depend again on Tartt’s market. He returned on a deal worth south of $1 million last season in the dog days of summer, and it would be foolhardy not to bring him back if he was available for a similar price. That said, he clearly deserves more than that and may want to go somewhere he feels more appreciated.
