Cutler-Olsen era ready to take off

Saturday night’s preseason game against the Giants will provide a much more accurate glimpse of what Jay Cutler can mean to the Bears’ offense.

Why?

Because Cutler is expected to have TE Greg Olsen in the lineup after he missed the preseason opener last week with a minor hip injury. By failing to bring in a veteran wide receiver, the Bears have practically guaranteed that Olsen will be a focal point of the passing game, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

As long as he stays healthy, Olsen should catch 70-80 passes and could threaten the 1,000-yard mark, which is rare for a tight end. Olsen is talented enough to put up big numbers in any offense, but he might wind up being the Bears’ go-to guy by default.

Hester has improved as a route runner, but he has not shown the ability to defeat double coverage, and Cutler doesn’t have the faith in him that he does in Olsen, who is not only a big target but has soft hands and the ability to stretch a defense, especially if he winds up matched against a linebacker.

Cutler and Olsen have already become fast friends off the field, and tonight should be the beginning of a beautiful friendship on the field.



(dailyherald.com)