Few of the roster moves the San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday moved the needle that much.

The 49ers signed veteran defensive back Terrance Mitchell and defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu to their practice squad while placing cornerback Jason Verrett and safety Tayler Hawkins on the practice squad injured reserve list.

A more intriguing move, however, was the opening of the practice window for safety and core special teamer George Odum.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan had confirmed on Tuesday that the 49ers intended to open his window, Odum having been placed on injured reserve after tearing his bicep in the Thanksgiving win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Odum is not a household name, but the 49ers were desperately disappointed to lose him from their special teams operation and as a backup safety, especially days after losing Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL.

His potential return for at least some of the playoffs makes the picture at a safety position where the 49ers have had very little injury luck in the second half of the season a lot rosier.

Rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, who has excelled since stepping in for Hufanga, and fellow starter Tashaun Gipson are both set to return from injury and practice this week during the 49ers' first-round bye. Brown had missed the last two games with a knee sprain while Gipson was held out of a meaningless regular-season finale because of a quad issue.

In Brown's absence, veteran Logan Ryan has impressed with a pair of strong showings against the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams, the two-time Super Bowl champion proving himself to be a smart in-season signing who can make a positive impact in the playoffs.

With Ryan as the primary backup and Odum seemingly set to return, the 49ers are poised to have four players at safety on whom they are happy to rely in the pressure cooker of the postseason.

Beyond that, Odum coming off IR would give the Niners a player who had 17 special teams tackles last season and who earned an elite special teams grade from Pro Football Focus in each of the last three seasons.

In the playoffs, the little advantages can end up making a huge difference in the final outcome. Odum offers the 49ers such a potential edge in an under-appreciated area of the game and, if he does return, solidifies their depth at safety.

His presence on the practice field won't be greeted with any external fanfare, but it could prove to be an underrated and significant development in the 49ers' Super Bowl push.

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