cleveland browns defender Chris Odom — USFLof Defensive Player of the Year — Suffered a season-ending knee injury at the Saturday night exhibition chicago bears.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Odom, 27, tore his left ACL in the fourth quarter.
The Browns signed Odom on Aug. 5, and though they were a long way from putting him on Cleveland’s 53-man roster, he showed positive inspiration.
“He’s done a really great job,” Stefanski said on a Zoom call on Sunday. I had some good moments.
“I was so disappointed in him. Injuries are an unfortunate part of this game that we play and coach and we hate to see a player lose a year.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 262-pound Odom, who played for Arkansas State University, came to Cleveland’s attention last season after recording 12.5 sacks for the Houston Gamblers of the USFL. Odom previously played for the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders.
Odom aside, the Browns finished the preseason finale in pretty good shape.
Stefanski said Pro Bowl right guard Wyatt Teller (knee) and safety Grant Delpitt (hip) are fine after being sidelined with injuries in the first half.
Teller and Delpitt were brought up as a precautionary measure against the Bears, but Stefanski said he would have returned had it been a regular season game.
Stefanski said starting right tackle Jack Conklin is back from season-ending knee surgery and continues to make progress. But Stefanski wasn’t ready to be available for the season opener in Carolina on September 11th.
Also, cornerback AJ Green (hips) and safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstrings) should be ready for Week 1 after being held up against Chicago.
Reported by Associated Press.
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