When the San Francisco 49ers released Kassim Osgood on Saturday, the veteran special teams ace reacted to the disappointing news with optimism, not dejection.
After all, the team cut him last year at the end of the preseason before bringing him back a week later. He just hoped a similar scenario would play out again this time around.
Osgood got his wish on Tuesday as San Francisco inked him to a one-year deal after the placement of nose tackle Glenn Dorsey on the Injured Reserve/Designated for Return List opened up a spot on the 53-man roster.
"I knew it was always a possibility," Osgood said. "Being able to work within the rules of the league, and being able to keep people that want to be here but let them go with the possibility of bringing them back is always on the horizon. I knew there was the potential for it to happen, so it wasn't a big deal for me."
Even though he was technically not a member of the team over the holiday weekend, Osgood didn't end up missing any practice time as the 49ers received a couple days off before the start of the regular season.
"It worked out pretty good," he said.
A three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro, Osgood added that he fielded a few calls from around the league before the 49ers welcomed him back.
"There were some other teams that were interested, but I always knew I wanted to stay here in San Francisco," he said. "It's the best fit."
Osgood, entering his 12th NFL season, plans to make his presence felt both on the field and in the locker room. He has a wealth of knowledge to share with the younger players on the team, and it's his desire to reach out to anyone willing to learn.
"Basically, at this point, it's making sure some of the guys who are out there with me know what we're about," he said. "Just trying to impart wisdom on them, help them out and get them ready for games."
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