Olsen optimistic about role in offense

Greg Olsen knows his pass-catching prowess could make him more of a liability than an asset in the scheme of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

But what can he do other than what he's always known, which is to just simply play ball?

"In the past, [Martz's offenses haven't favored pass-catching tight ends]. There's really no debating that," Olsen said Friday on the "Waddle & Silvy" show on ESPN-1000. "That's just the way it is.

"But my approach to it is I feel like I bring a special set of qualities to the position, and I'm just gonna go out and worry about what's in my control, and continue to get better as I've done each year, and continue to progress both in the pass and run. However that shakes out, that's not really in my hands."

What Olsen can control, however, is his preparation for absorbing the intricacies of Martz's complicated pass-happy attack. Regardless of speculation as to where Olsen fits, the truth is nobody really knows what role he'll play.

Tight ends coach Mike DeBord indicated as much Thursday on the "Afternoon Saloon" show on ESPN 1000, saying the club is currently working to figure out what each player at the position does best before making any concrete decisions. Olsen reiterated those sentiments on Friday, in addition to admitting to harboring some trepidation about his future in Chicago once Martz came aboard.

Olsen and Martz have since gotten off to a good start toward building a relationship of trust, the tight end said. Step 1 in that process came from conversations between Olsen and the coaching staff, which also involved general manager Jerry Angelo.

"I never thought I would be the odd man out [once Martz took over]," Olsen said. "At the same time, I'm not naïve [enough] to [not] know that guys like me in the past weren't really a big part of [Martz's offenses].

"But from my conversations with the coaches, Mike and Jerry, I feel good that what I bring to the table will be able to be incorporated into what we do. Everything that's been told to me is that [a potential trade] was never once thrown out there. The Bears said they never called anyone to try to trade me; that I'm a guy they want here going forward [and] had been a big part of what we've done in the past. They anticipate me being a big part going forward. That's how it's kind of been relayed to me from the powers that be."

Martz's history indicates a reduced role in the offense for a pass-catching tight end such as Olsen. But Olsen's rare skill set, which enables him to become a matchup problem for defenses, paired with solid chemistry with quarterback Jay Cutler, could change how Martz implements the scheme.

Such a dilemma, albeit positive, contributes to a fluid situation at the tight end position, which isn't likely to shake out until sometime in the preseason.

"[Martz has] not really had that fast guy like Desmond Clark or Greg Olsen, those kinds of guys," DeBord said. "So he's actually excited about being able to utilize them in the [passing] game and the run game."

How Olsen might perform this season as a blocker seems to be one of the main question marks concerning the tight end. He's struggled as a blocker in the past, and Martz's "emphasis on protection," as Olsen termed it, could result in a reduced role if marked improvement isn't made in that department.

Olsen said he's made strides as a blocker since entering the league in 2007, and understands the widespread criticism of his blocking.

"That's fine, I'm used to that," Olsen said. "For the people who have watched, my blocking has continued to get better each year.

"Last year, if I wasn't substituting in or out depending on the scheme, I played every down. If it was a pass protection, running a route, whatever it was, I was in. I feel confident in that. Obviously my pass catching has developed further than my run-blocking stuff, but that's pretty common. Every year in the offseason [I] continue to work on that, and it's gonna be no different this year. A lot of this is gonna play out as we get to minicamp and through OTAs. Right now, we're just installing the entire offense, getting guys used to the terminology and where to line up. A lot of it is gonna play out from here forward."

But will things shake out in Olsen's favor? He doesn't know. Nobody does at this point. With the season opener against Detroit approximately four months away, several internal position battles need to be fought before the club can focus solely on opponents.

One of the few things Olsen appears to be certain about is the fact he's grown tired of becoming a spectator once the regular season ends.

"I've never made the playoffs since I've been in the league," Olsen said. "I know that a lot of the guys aren't happy with that. You take a lot of pride in what you do and the product you put out there. What we've done the last couple of years hasn't been good enough."

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(espn.com)