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On Monday, the Jacksonville Jaguars parted ways with veteran defensive lineman Jared Odrick, just two years into his five-year, $42.5 million deal.
Jaguars cutting veteran defensive lineman Jared Odrick https://t.co/5SFCD3HTjB
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 20, 2017
So with the Broncos in need of some defensive lineman and already meeting with former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell sometime this week, I believe they should also consider Odrick.
The former first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins back in 2010, Odrick is a versatile defensive lineman who could be a nice rotational piece for the Broncos. He is listed at 6-5, 298lbs and has long arms which also makes him an ideal defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. He also has some experience in a 4-3 and a 3-4 scheme, so he can play in any scheme.
This past season was a rough one for Odrick. His season was cut short to just six games because of injury. In those six games, he totaled just 12 tackles 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 44.2 this past season which isn't great at all. However, he did earn a solid 71.5 run defense grade. Odrick's run stopping ability should make him an attractive target for the Broncos.
Despite a lackluster and injury-shortened 2016 season, Odrick does have some solid seasons under his belt. In 2015, Odrick lived up to his big free agent contract by totaling 29 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. During his seven-year NFL career, Odrick has totaled 135 tackles, 23 sacks, 15 pass deflections, 1 interception, and 5 forced fumbles.
With the Broncos looking to improve their run defense this offseason, I think an addition like Odrick would be a nice first step at accomplishing that goal. Adding Odrick to their defensive line rotation should help their run defense and depth overall. It also gives them some security if Derek Wolfe get injured again and/or Adam Gotsis fails to improve this offseason.
So what do you think Mile High Report? Do you think the Broncos should have some interest in the veteran Jared Odrick? Or do you think they should go in another direction? Let us know in the comment section below!