Greg Olsen

[Don Wassall]

As we've mentioned in other threads, Lovie Smith and the Bears would be complete idiots not to use the big play abilities of Greg Olsen, who has the size of a tight end but the speed of a wide receiver. But the Bears signed Desmond Clark to a contract extension in the offseason and Clark remains the official starter though unofficially Olsen and Clark are co-starters. Never underestimate the ability of any and all NFL teams to underutilize white talent. At least Olsen is referred to as a "beast" in this training camp report:


3. Greg Olsen on breakout alert: Hester and teeny-weeny running back Garrett Wolfe garnered the loudest applause over the weekend, but Greg Olsen got the most consistent cheers. Without a proven bunch of receivers, Turner says he'll lean more heavily on the second-year tight end, who came on strong around midseason last year after essentially missing the first four games to a knee injury.


Olsen has been a beast at camp, snatching balls in traffic and exhibiting acrobatic abilities on one particular deep ball Saturday -- that he barely managed to fingertip to himself while staying in bounds. Tellingly, that pass came from Grossman, which Bears fans have to like if he wins the job. Olsen and Grossman never seemed to click last year. Most of his balls came from Orton or the departed Brian Griese.


[url]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/adam_duerson/0 7/28/postcard.bears/index.html[/url]

 

[Bear Backer]

Greg Olsen is a player I will definitely be watching closely this season. He is really the only really bright spot for the future on a Bears offense that is devoid of top talent. He looks like the one player who if utilized correctly has a real chance to become something really special in the NFL. Unfortunately the Bears have so far shown they seemingly don't know how to use Olsen to his potential. I have so far had a nagging suspision in my gut that Lovie will do everything he can to make sure Dez Clark is featured over Olsen, and that he will never reach his potential in Chicago. I hope I am wrong, but I have very little faith in the Bears, even less in Lovie Smith and none in Ron Turner.Edited by: Bear Backer

 

[Don Wassall]

Onlyabout the NFL could a "connected" writer like John Clayton write this and be taken seriously:

Key NFC training camp battles

3. Chicago Bears: TE Greg Olsen vs. TE Desmond Clark -- This is the sleeper battle of the summer. Olsen might be eight years younger than the 33-year-old Clark, but there is something about Clark that has caught the eye of the Bears' new offensive coaching staff. Clark went from 41 catches to 19 last season and his playing time went from 78 percent to 38 percent of the snaps. Although Olsen gradually has put up better numbers in each of his three seasons and is coming off a 60-catch, eight-touchdown year, the Bears' staff still thinks he could be doing more. This summer offers him a big challenge with Clark on board.

Though I will give Clayton credit for predicting in the same article that Jordy Nelson will beat out James Jones to be the Packers' #3 receiver this season. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=5391738

 

[Kaptain]

How could that possibly be a battle? Greg Olsen is about all the Bears have on offense. Edited by: Kaptain Poop

 

[Kaptain]

I think we can look for big things from Greg Olsen this year. There's been a lot of talk about Martz not being TE friendly, but we know he's pretty white friendly. Besides, I think he may split Olsen out at WR on many plays. He has to utilize his best reciever.

Reports from camp seem to show that Martz is looking to utilize Olsen a lot more. Oh, and I just drafted him in the Riggin's league.

 

[whiteathlete33]

Olsen has been underutilized thus far in his career. He has good speed and should be used to stretch the field against slower safeties and linebackers. Instead he's been used on short routes mostly. The less athletic Zach Miller has better numbers through the first three seasons.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Olsen's one of the best TE's in the NFC...up there with Witten & Shockey.

 

[whiteathlete33]

This looks like positive news for Olsen. From Rotoworld:

Greg Olsen will be an "integral part" of the passing game this season, according to beat writer Brad Biggs.
<div ="s_pNewsTextMain">
All reports out of Chicago so far have offensive coordinator Mike Martz
bucking his normal tendencies and highlighting the tight end in the
passing game. Although we're not trusting Martz enough to draft Olsen as
a fantasy starer, he has to be on the radar as a TE2 at this point. It
will be interesting to see how many targets Olsen gets in the second and
third exhibition games and how often he's split wide.</div>

 

[backrow]

Bears are officially shopping Olsen around, which is a good thing, seeing how Martz is not using him to his full potential, far from it.

 

[whiteathlete33]

Good news! Get him on a team that makes use of tight ends and he should be among the league leaders in receptions for tight ends.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Going to the Panthers? I Don't think that was in his best interest.

 

[Don Wassall]

Going to the Panthers? I Don't think that was in his best interest.

That's what I'm thinking. My first reaction is that he now goes from being under-utilized as a receiving weapon in Chicago to having Cam Newton attempting to throw to him in Carolina. Plus, the Panthers also have Jeremy Shockey now.

 

[dwid]

Actually it makes perfect sense. Tight ends (as well as backs) are usually black quarterbacks best friends, being that they only have to throw the ball 5 to 10 yards on a checkdown, maybe a 20 yard seam route. If he and Shockey and Olsen get yac they could put up huge numbers. The only problem with this is it will make Newton look like a decent quarterback, another reason is that tight ends like to work the middle of the field, Newton has shown that he can't make all the throws, especially to the outside. He won't have a problem hitting his tight ends. If they had gotten him two top receivers he would be exposed. It would be funny if he still couldn't move the chains, but not good for Olsen and Shockey.

My prediction is they use run heavy formations with two tight ends, Shockey and Olsen. Shockey has lost a step so might be used more as a blocker, but both can catch.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

That's kind of what I was thinking dwid. While it's premature to call Newton an NFL "quota"back if you look at black QBs historically in the league (recently) I recall lots of TEs and RBs racking up lots of receiving yards on the shorter throws across the middle. Cooley with Jason Cambell, Frank Wycheck with Steve McNair and Brian Westbrook at HB with Donovan McNabb.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Actually it makes perfect sense. Tight ends (as well as backs) are usually black quarterbacks best friends, being that they only have to throw the ball 5 to 10 yards on a checkdown, maybe a 20 yard seam route. If he and Shockey and Olsen get yac they could put up huge numbers. The only problem with this is it will make Newton look like a decent quarterback, another reason is that tight ends like to work the middle of the field, Newton has shown that he can't make all the throws, especially to the outside. He won't have a problem hitting his tight ends. If they had gotten him two top receivers he would be exposed. It would be funny if he still couldn't move the chains, but not good for Olsen and Shockey.

My prediction is they use run heavy formations with two tight ends, Shockey and Olsen. Shockey has lost a step so might be used more as a blocker, but both can catch.

dwid , I might could agree with you and TJR , but there's never been a history of Carolina using their TE's for anything other than blocking, as you mentioned concerning Shockey and with Olsen being a great receiving TE, it will be tough with Clausen and the quotoback not having an offensive line, (other than J. Gross) and he's getting long in the tooth, not to mention an old tiny WR, whose lost two steps.(Steve Smiff) to get a pass off period.

With all that said, they have a new coach, and maybe he'll bring a different approach. The TE may be the only target available, which won't help the run game very much.

I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter what, Carolina will probably s@#k, again!

 

[whiteathlete33]

dwid , I might could agree with you and TJR , but there's never been a history of Carolina using their TE's for anything other than blocking, as you mentioned concerning Shockey and with Olsen being a great receiving TE, it will be tough with Clausen and the quotoback not having an offensive line, (other than J. Gross) and he's getting long in the tooth, not to mention an old tiny WR, whose lost two steps.(Steve Smiff) to get a pass off period.

With all that said, they have a new coach, and maybe he'll bring a different approach. The TE may be the only target available, which won't help the run game very much.

I guess what I'm trying to say is no matter what, Carolina will probably s@#k, again!

That's true for the most part, Carolinaspeed. Wesley Walls was used a lot during the mid 90's when he played for the Panthers. I know in football terms 10-15 years ago is ancient and plenty has changed since then. Jeff King wasn't used as a receiver much because he's not that talented.

 

[Carolina Speed]

That's true for the most part, Carolinaspeed. Wesley Walls was used a lot during the mid 90's when he played for the Panthers. I know in football terms 10-15 years ago is ancient and plenty has changed since then. Jeff King wasn't used as a receiver much because he's not that talented.

Yeah Walls was used some, but not to the extent of say, Witten,Cooley, Gonzales, or Sharpe. These guys were catching on average around 70- 80 balls/yr., sometimes getting 100 catches for some. I think Walls caught 60 one year, and averaged maybe 30 recs. /year, but for the most part wasn't used the way he could have been!

Walls could have easily been a J. Witten type before there was a J. Witten.

Still, maybe they'll make use of Olsen!

 

[referendum]

Steve Smith has some nice words for Olsen, saying he wanted Panthers to draft him, and that he'd make a great wide receiver if he lost weight.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Steve Smith has some nice words for Olsen, saying he wanted Panthers to draft him, and that he'd make a great wide receiver if he lost weight.

gain weight, lose weight, looser hips, better 10yd. split, run a, 4.5, no 4.4, no 4.3, now for whitey it's 4.2, etc....... we'll get it right one day, eventually, maybe, whatever......

 

[whiteathlete33]

I'm very familiar with Olsen. He played his high school football here in Jersey. His combine numbers were incredible running a 4.51 40 at his size. I imagine if he lost about 30lbs and switched over to receiver he'd run in the 4.4 range. That would put him in Matt Jones speed range and at 6'5 he'd be a great endzone target. I'm sure he'd still be considered a possession receiver by the media and DWF's.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I wish Greg Olsen the best in Carolina, even though it isn't a great fit for him. He is a great talent that has largely been wasted.

 

[whiteathlete33]

Carolina's offense was atrocious last season. Of course, the DWF's and media blame it on Jimmy Clausen and they think they have found their solution in drafting Scam Newton. I don't see Olsen's numbers improving much with this clown throwing him the ball but if Newton has any success whatsoever next season he'll be labeled a "star."

 

[Don Wassall]

The point about black QBs and tight ends is valid. Even Zach Miller in Oakland had pretty good stats when DuhMarcus was there while the WRs were pretty much useless. But overall, I would prefer that a talent like Olsen be starting on a team that has a good quarterback who knows how the spread the ball around rather than a rookie black QB who probably will have a huge learning curve if he does eventually become successful.

 

[Carolina Speed]

With his 366th catch last night Olsen moves into the NFL's top 250 all-time receivers(Catches/Receptions) list, putting another white receiver on the active list in the top 250, which include:

18. Jason Witten, 860 receptions. With 3 catches tonight can move to number 17.
22. Wes Welker, 841
117. Dallas Clark, 505
149. Heath Miller, 457
206. Brandon Stokely, 397
220. Owen Daniels, 385
247. Greg Olsen, 366, Very under used. Should have a lot more catches at this point in his career!

Next to make the top 250 should be Zach Miller, (317) however, he needs to get more than 1 or 2 catches a game. He only had 1 catch yesterday!

Then, maybe Jordy Nelson with 284, but I'm not sure; could be another white WR somewhere in between?

Eric Decker just went over 200 with 206 catches early in his career. Maybe he'll be the beneficiary of having Manning for a few more years!

Hartline is at 250.

 

[Leonardfan]

Scam Newton owes Olsen about 40% of his paycheck week in and week out. Newton would be so much worse if he did not have Olsen in Carolina as his top target/safety valve.