Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Defensive lineman Jared Odrick has attracted interest from Giants, others

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With Johnathan Hankins landing in Indianapolis, the New York Giants are short on defensive tackles. Among the top available options is former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Jared Odrick.

The Giants have expressed interest in Odrick as a free-agent option, a source told ESPN. Odrick has also gotten interest at some point through the free-agent process from more than a few teams including the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.

Odrick is likely to wait until after the draft before making a decision, but the signing of Hankins could expedite the process. It is expected to create some movement in the defensive line market after the 25-year-old defensive lineman agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $30 million with the Colts.

The Giants, Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins are just some of the teams still looking for defensive line help.

Odrick, 29, makes sense for the Giants as a potential complement to run-stuffing tackle Damon Harrison. Odrick had at least 4.5 sacks in four of the previous six seasons and could play outside as a run-stuffing defensive end or inside as a pass-rushing tackle.

But Odrick is coming off a season in which he had one sack and was limited to six games by elbow and shoulder injuries. He was released in February in large part because of financials. He was due a $2 million roster bonus and set to count $8.5 million against Jacksonville's salary cap.

The Jaguars cut Odrick two years into a five-year deal worth $42.5 million.

At 29 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season, Odrick won’t command the same price this time around in the second or third wave of free agency. He’s a complementary player; a quality, veteran lineman who brings a useful and versatile skill set to the table.

Odrick has 170 tackles, 23 sacks, five forced fumbles and 15 batted passes in seven seasons.

Some of the other available free-agent defensive tackles include Odrick’s former Jaguars teammate Sen’Derick Marks, Cam Thomas, Jason Jones and Glenn Dorsey.

It's likely the Giants add a defensive tackle in the draft and free agency. Harrison, Jay Bromley and Robert Thomas are the only natural defensive tackles currently on the roster. Bromley and Thomas have combined for 61 tackles, 2.0 sacks and just four starts in their careers.

Odrick has started 63 games for the Dolphins and Jaguars throughout his seven seasons in the NFL.

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