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After lighting up the 2017 preseason, many Atlanta Falcons fans were disheartened to see pass rusher Chris Odom not among the team’s final 53-man roster.
After a few stops elsewhere, Odom has returned to Atlanta after working out for the team Monday.
The #Falcons are signing former AAF DE Chris Odom of the Salt Lake Stallions, source said. He’d previously been with Atlanta in 2017, though he was claimed away after they tried to put him on the practice squad. Now he’s back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2019
The former Arkansas State standout spent 2017 with the Green Bay Packers before being released by that club in 2018 cuts. He then spent the fall out of football before latching on with the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in Salt Lake City with the Stallions.
He tallied 2.5 sacks and 8 quarterback hits with the Stallions, showing his prowess as a pass rusher.
Odom flashed aplenty in the 2017 preseason for the Falcons, and that must’ve lingered in the team’s mind since making the hard decision to cut him all that time ago. In Atlanta now, he’ll factor in with the rotation at defensive end and compete for a roster spot anew.
The team needs depth at edge badly, which Odom can give them. And, maybe, just maybe, his time in the AAF will allow him to permanently make an NFL roster and maybe even contribute in the Falcons’ 2019 pass rush. They can certainly use all the help they can get as the roster stands and depth still flashes as a spot of potential addition.
For now, we’ll welcome Odom back to Atlanta and hope he lives up to the potential he showed in his first run with the team.