Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is the latest player to restructure his contract to help his team free up some cap space.

A league source tells PFT that Olsen, who was initially owed a $3.75 million base salary, will now get a $3 million option bonus and a $750,000 base salary. The option bonus will be due between the first and 10th day of the league year, which begins March 12.

The move will save the Panthers $2.4 million on this year’s salary cap.

Olsen, who also restructured his contract to save the Panthers some cap room last year, is coming off a 2012 season in which he started all 16 games and had a career-high 69 catches for a career-high 843 receiving yards.


(profootballtalk.com)

CHARLOTTE—It is the off-season for Carolina Panther Greg Olsen, but he is still right in the middle of an off the field challenge to change state law.

Last year, Olsen's son was born with a heart defect and Olsen used his son's story to promote more comprehensive heart testing in all North Carolina hospitals.

TJ was born last year with a congenital heart defect, a condition determined before he was born.

"As difficult as it was, we were able to explore different options and learn more about the condition," said Olsen.

But not every parent is so lucky to have that knowledge before birth, and not every newborn in North Carolina has their heart thoroughly tested.

"A couple days of life and their lungs now start mixing the oxygen with the blood is when the problem arises,” said Olsen.

That is why Olsen and his wife Kara are fighting to change NC law and have pulse oximetry screening, which checks a heart's function, be a mandatory test before newborns are released from the hospital.

"We're not talking drawing blood, we're not talking lab results, machines, we're talking a little box that you hit a button,” said Olsen.

Tuesday, Olsen met with the state's Health and Human Services Committee in Raleigh to lobby for the change. The proposal passed committee and is soon set for a House vote.

"I think it felt like a little minor victory, the first step to something that we feel is very important [something that we think will help so many kids in the North Carolina area]," said Olsen.

Olsen hopes the measure will ensure more babies like TJ have their first days of life filled with happy, healthy heartbeats. According to the March of Dimes, about one in every 125 infants are born with heart defects each year. The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services also recently recommended the Pulse Oximetry Screening be part of tests for all newborns.


(news14.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Former Panthers tight end Wesley Walls used to celebrate touchdowns by pretending to shoot the ball as though it were a duck or a clay pigeon.

Greg Olsen celebrates touchdown by handing the ball to the official.

But after getting passed over for the Pro Bowl, despite breaking Walls' team record for catches by a tight end during the best season of his six-year career, Olsen joked that he might need to come up with a signature move.

"Maybe I should start celebrating a little bit more, dunking and doing all that stuff. Because I think sometimes that's what draws a lot of attention," Olsen said Thursday. "But that's just not who I am."

Instead, Olsen is a versatile player who, depending on the situation, could be catching a long pass from Cam Newton or blocking for him. Olsen has established career highs this season with 65 catches for 800 yards, and needs 23 yards to break Walls' receiving yardage record for a Panthers tight end.

But he's also improved as a blocker, and often is asked to line up in the backfield and help out with pass protection. Yet many observers still view Olsen as a one-dimensional, pass-catching tight end.

"That's always been the knock on me. But the funny part is the people who make that knock don't watch the tapes. If you actually stop to watch the tape, I think people would be surprised," Olsen said.

Olsen, 27, was Chicago's first-round draft pick in 2007 after leading Miami with 40 receptions his final season with the Hurricanes. He spent his first four seasons in Chicago before the Bears traded him to Carolina for a third-round pick in 2011 because then-coordinator Mike Martz did not believe he fit into his offense.

Olsen said his reputation as a poor blocker has followed him since college.

"Early in my career, obviously, I wasn't the greatest blocker. But these last couple years - you don't play every down in the NFL if you can't block. You can't hide," he said. "I take a lot of pride in never coming out. And in order to play every play, you have to do it all."

Olsen said the two NFC tight ends in the Pro Bowl - Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez and Dallas' Jason Witten - are deserving players and future Hall-of-Famers. But Olsen said he was disappointed he was not selected as an alternate.

"I was a little surprised, to be blunt. I thought I had as good a season as anybody," Olsen said. "There are not a lot of guys that play every snap and have to do everything."

Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross, whose locker is next to Olsen's, said Olsen has been the ultimate team player since coming to Charlotte.

"Greg has been a huge pick-up for us. He's a guy that does stuff the right way, works hard. Blocks more than most starting tight ends in the league ever dream of blocking. And has a great set of hands on him, as well," Gross said. "He deserves the ball, deserves way more attention than he gets."

Olsen's 65 receptions rank fifth among tight ends - behind Witten (103), Gonzalez (88), New Orleans' Jimmy Graham (76) and Pittsburgh's Heath Miller (71). Miller will miss the Steelers' last game after undergoing knee surgery Thursday.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Olsen's value extends beyond statistics.

"He's a well-rounded tight end. He's not a pass-catching guy by any stretch of the imagination. He's developed into a good blocker," Rivera said. "He's not catching as many passes as some of those other guys. But you have to think about where he fits with what we're doing and just realize how important he is to us."

Olsen is friendly with Walls, who played for the Panthers from 1996-2002 and ranks third on the team's receiving list. The two attended the Wells Fargo Championship with their families last spring at Quail Hollow, where Walls is a member.

Olsen was not familiar with Walls' shotgun routine. And though it might not get him noticed, Olsen plans to keep his celebrations low-key.

"I'm not a big rah-rah, attention-seeking guy," Olsen said. "I know a lot of guys around the league are. That's just not really my thing."


(miamiherald.com)

Offensive Player of the Week:

Reggie Wayne: proCane Colts WR Reggie Wayne caught six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 14, 27-23 win over the Titans. Wayne was targeted 10 times on the afternoon and caught his touchdown pass from four yards out to get the Colts on the board in the first quarter. Wayne extended his NFL record 61 game streak of having 3 or more receptions.

Honorable Mention: Greg Olsen

Co-Defensive Players of Week:

Sam Shields: proCane Packers DB Sam Shields in his first game back from a high-ankle sprain that kept him out nearly two months regained his old spot by the second quarter. Shields returned with four tackles and an interception in Sunday's win over the Lions. Shields was targeted 5 times and only allowed one completion.

Antrel Rolle: proCane New York Giants DB Antrel Rolle recorded a fumble recovery and forced fumble on successive drives, adding in six tackles in a stout defensive performance. Through Week 14, Rolle ranks first on the team in solo tackles (61) and second on the team in total tackles (79).
Honorable Mention: Vince Wilfork DL New England Patriots finished the game with 4 tackles, 1 pass deflection, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss and numerous plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

Special Teams Player of the Week:

Travis Benjamin: proCane Browns WR Travis Benjamin proved to provide the momentum the Browns needed to run away with their 30-7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Benjamin turned in a record-setting punt return when he ran 93 yards for a touchdown to open the second quarter. It was Benjamin’s first NFL punt return for a TD which also earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Benjamin's touchdown was the first on a punt return for a Cleveland rookie since 1967, and the first for any returner not named Josh Cribbs since 2005. Adding the longest punt return in franchise history to his resume, the Belle Glade, Fla., native now has over 400 all-purpose yards in his first season, including 296 on punt and kick returns.

Carolina Panthers TE Greg Olsen (back) was limited in practice Thursday, Dec. 6.






(fantasysp.com)

Offensive Player of the Week:

Greg Olsen: Carolina Panthers TE Greg Olsen who only had one catch on the day was a big one as Olsen's 47-yard score, which tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, was the second-longest play of his career, and his best since a 52-yard reception in 2008. Olsen ranks second on the team with 50 catches and 636 yards. He is one of two proCane tight ends with more than 600 receiving yards on the season, joining New Orleans Saints' Pro Bowler Jimmy Graham (654). Olsen this week set a new career high with 636 yard receiving this season.

Honorable Mention: Reggie Wayne: proCane Colts WR Reggie Wayne was held to four catches for 51 yards in the Colts' Week 13 win over the Lions but Wayne extended his NFL record 60 games streak of having 3 or more receptions. Wayne is on pace for 117 catches, 1,541 yards and four touchdowns heading into a matchup with the Titans in Week 14.

Co-Defensive Players of Week:

Ed Reed: proCane Ravens safety Ed Reedplayed a role in two Ravens turnovers, including a key interception in the endzone off Steelers' quarterback Charlie Batch to preserve a late fourth-quarter lead. Reed increased his lead in all-time interception return yardage to 1,541 on the play, returning to Baltimore's 34-yard line. The interception, the 61st of his career, solidified the Reed’s position at No. 10 all-time in the category. Reed also recovered a fumble in the third quarter, the 10th recovery of his career.

Brandon Harris: proCane Houston Texans second-year cornerback was expected to play a key role in Sunday's game against Tennessee - and he delivered. Seeing an increased role due to injuries to usual starters in the secondary, Harris led the team with six tackles. Harris, who drew widespread praise for his performance, was also credited with two pass defenses. Harris will continue to play a key role for the Texans defense as injuries have taken a toll on their secondary.

Honorable Mention: Darryl Sharpton.

Special Teams Player of the Week:

Matt Bosher: proCane Falcons P Matt Bosher continued his great 2nd season and firmly planted himself among the better punters in the league. His performance against the Saints may have been one of the best games of his career. His punting average of 53.2 yards was a career high and his six punts tied a season high. Of those punts four were returned but credit the coverage teams for limiting the Saints to a 15-yard return average. The Saints average starting drive position was their own 25-yard line. Bosher's 47.9 punting average this season is ranked ninth in the league. His 15 fair catches on punts is tied for fourth in the NFL.

Greg Olsen made one catch for a 47 yard touchdown, on four targets, Sunday against the Chiefs.

Olsen started the scoring for the Panthers but failed to catch a pass for the remainder of the game. He has been working best downfield, either on outside breaking routes or down the seam, but expect Olsen to put up more than one catch in the coming weeks.


(rotoworld.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thanksgiving has taken on a new meaning for Panthers veteran tight end Greg Olsen.

The stress Carolina fans have endured from the team's close losses this season pales in comparison to what Olsen and his wife Kara have been through the last few months.

Olsen's 6-week-old son T.J. was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and spent the first four months of his life in Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte. He faces two additional surgeries over the next three years — including one in three to five months — but for now is recovering well at home with his healthy twin sister Talbot and their 17-month-old brother Tate.

"It's going to be a whole different type of thankful this Thanksgiving for us," Olsen said. "Through the years you really lose track of what is important and obviously our season hasn't gone really well, but it's going to be such a blessing Thursday to have all of my kids home and together."

The Olsens first discovered there was a problem when prenatal tests on their twins revealed an issue with their unborn son's heart.

Two days after she gave birth to a pair of 8-pound babies on Oct. 9, T.J. was taken into surgery to repair an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta.

Olsen said doctors told him 25 years ago the condition would have been fatal, but with advancements in medicine there is now a 70 percent survival rate — and some children who've had the surgery are now doing well in their early twenties.

Olsen said T.J. is "thriving" in his recovery.

"He's been home for about two weeks and the biggest thing they told us was to continue to feed him, make sure he eats and continues to grow so he's ready for his next surgery," Olsen said. "He's really doing as well as we could have hoped. So now we're getting him ready for round two."

Regardless of how well the next two surgeries go, T.J. will never be like his father, who has played six seasons in the NFL with Carolina and Chicago.
Because of his condition, T.J. won't be able to play contact sports and certainly won't ever put on a football helmet, catch passes running across the middle or block a defensive end.

And Olsen is just fine with that.

Doctors "were saying it like they were trying to warn me," Olsen said. "And I was like, hey listen, you've got the wrong guy here. There's a good chance he wasn't going to play football anyway. I don't care. In times like this you realize if he's just a good student and a good person that is really all that matters at the end of the day."

Olsen said he and Kara were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from fans, teammates and Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.

He said the entire experience has changed his family forever.

"It's opened our eyes," Olsen said. "A lot of people, until they go through something like this, feel like it is always going to be somebody else. And now here we are going through something you read and hear about with other people. You get through that part of 'What did we ever do to deserve this?'

"But we got past that pretty quick and just kind of embraced it. We've taken on a positive outlook of hey, God wouldn't have given us this baby if we weren't able to handle it."


(therepublic.com)

We ask 10 questions of Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen:

Q. Are you a “Modern Family” fan?
It’s my favorite show. It’s always something I watch. I love it.

Q. Which “Modern Family” character are you?
I always joke with my wife that my goal is to be Phil Dunphy. I don’t know if she feels that’s the perfect father role model but I think he’s hilarious. The whole thing with him is unbelievable. Everything he does to me is funny.

Q. What do you listen to in the car when you’re coming to the stadium?
I’m a music guy. I listen to the country channel here.

Q. Do you have particular favorites?
I really like pretty much all of it. I’m a big music fan. I’ll listen to it all.

Q. Any musical talent?
No. Zero.

Q. With young children, you probably don’t have much time but what’s date night like for you and your wife?
We like to go to dinner. That was our thing. We’ll get back to that at some point. We enjoy going out to nice dinners and trying places, especially when we travel. We don’t have a whole lot of hobbies. That’s our big splurge.

Q. Do you have any favorite places in Charlotte?
We go to Brio’s a lot. We go to 131 Main a lot near where we live. Ilios Noche is one of our favorite places for a real nice night without the kids. We love that.

Q. Do you have guilty pleasures when you’re home at night?
During the season, my comfort food. I probably eat pizza twice a week. I try to eat well but I have a soft spot for pizza and Peanut M&Ms.

Q. What’s your least favorite household chore?
The dishes. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. A lot of bottles. They don’t clean themselves.

Q. With what you and your family have been through with the birth of twins and your son TJ’s surgeries, how special will Thanksgiving be?
I can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome. For months, we were hoping to have him home by Thanksgiving. We had him home a few weeks before. We’re just going to have family at the house and enjoy it. We have a lot to be thankful for.


(charlotteobserver.com)

Co-Offensive Players of the Week:

Jimmy Graham: proCane Saints TE Jimmy Graham hauled in seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets to lead the Saints to a 31-27 victory over the Falcons in Week 10. Safety William Moore bit twice on the double move, allowing Drew Brees to throw a pair of pump-fake deep balls to Graham for a 29-yard touchdown and a 46-yard fourth-quarter gain. Graham added a 14-yard score just before halftime. After his first 100-yard game of the season, Graham is averaging a 7/94/1.3 line over the past three weeks.

Greg Olsen: Following an emotional week for proCane Panthers TE Greg Olsen in which he welcomed his son TJ home after being hospitalized after birth and undergoing surgery due to a heart condition, Olsen exploded for a career-high nine receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns versus the Broncos in Week 10. The 102 yards are a regular-season career high. Tight ends have been the weak spot in Denver's defense all season and today was no different. Olsen had catches of 26 and 16 yards to set up a 4-yard touchdown and added a 5-yard score in garbage time.

Honorable Mention: Frank Gore, Reggie Wayne.

Defensive Player of Week:

Colin McCarthy: proCane Titans LB Colin McCarthy rose slowly after a violent hit and wobbled as he left the field. Three plays later he was back in the game and in the end zone, celebrating a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown. McCarthy and his team's embattled defense bounced back Sunday, when their four takeaways led to 20 points and helped the Titans beat the Miami Dolphins 37-3. McCarthy finished the game with 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss one INT and a TD. McCarthy’s TD put the Titans up 21-0 and essentially the game out of reach for the Dolphins.

Honorable Mention: Vince Wilfork, Allen Bailey.

Special Teams Player of the Week:

Matt Bosher: proCane Falcons P Matt Bosher continued his great 2nd season with 3 punts for 140 yards and a 46.7 average. Bosher had a long of 52 yards and placed one of his punts inside the 20-yard line. Bosher is also Atlanta’s holder and held two successful field goals for Matt Bryant.

Greg Olsen exploded for a career-high nine receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns versus the Broncos in Week 10.

The 102 yards are a regular-season career high. Tight ends have been the weak spot in Denver's defense all season and today was no different. Olsen had catches of 26 and 16 yards to set up a 4-yard touchdown and added a 5-yard score in garbage time. The only weak spot was pass protection, where Von Miller toyed with him all afternoon. Next week Olsen faces a Bucs defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends.


(rotoworld.com)

Nearly a month after TJ was born, Greg Olsen and his wife, Kara, were able to bring their infant son home from the hospital Tuesday, reuniting him with his twin sister and making the Olsen family complete.

TJ was born with a congenital heart defect which required surgery and weeks of recovery, and he’s slated the undergo two more procedures in the coming months and years.

Greg Olsen joined The Drive on WFNZ in Charlotte to discuss his son’s health, his family and how the team’s owner, the organization and the city have supported him during such a trying time.



On how his son is doing:
“Everybody’s doing good. It feels like it’s been a long time coming and something we’ve been looking forward to for a long time, and we’re just thankful that the doctors were able to give him such good treatment, and his recovery was a little faster than everyone really anticipated. He’s home now, and obviously there’s some follow-up stuff that Kara and he needs at home, but for the most part he’s home and we can kind of settle in as a family now and enjoy these next couple months before the next surgery.”

On bringing his son home to be with his twin sister and the rest of the family early this week:
“It was the first night we were able to have them all together at home, and brought him up to the nursery and all that. So that was obviously a special moment. It was a little bittersweet when we brought Talbot home a couple weeks ago and weren’t able to bring the whole crew, and just knowing as we sat around at night that one of the pieces of the family was at the hospital, going through some tough times. So we’re really thankful and feel really fortunate with the outcome, how it’s been so far. And we just hope that the next couple big stages of surgery go as well as the first one.”

On the support he’s received from owner Jerry Richardson, the organization and the city of Charlotte:
“It means everything. It shows you that the people have their priorities straight with this organization. And that’s the kind of team, that’s the kind of people that you want to work for and play for. Sometimes I think, in this business, people really lose track of that. Don’t get me wrong, we all take this very seriously, and we all want to win and win every game, but sometimes the bigger picture gets lost between all of us, and I think sometimes things get put back in perspective a little bit. It’s unfortunate that it had to be something like this, something so serious, but to see the true colors of people in situations when you need them the most is really the true test. And everybody kind of rallied around us and really was there for us through a really tough time when we first got the diagnosis back in the spring. Obviously what Mr. Richardson has done everyone has heard about, and I couldn’t be more thankful that he brought me here and then the help and the care we’ve got from the city and the hospital. It’s unbelievable how much sense everything makes looking back — just a year ago being brought here and not knowing we’d need the type of care that this city has to offer, and to happen to be right in our own backyard was amazing.”

On the intersection between the team’s struggles and his personal struggles:
“It’s been a rough couple months, but it doesn’t make the losses any easier, it doesn’t make them any harder. The reason they’re hard is you know how much time and effort the team and how much sweat and pain and everything that you put into each week and each game. And for the outcomes to go the way they did in such a heart-breaking way just makes the whole thing difficult. And then when it’s time to go home, though, that’s when my family needed me to be dad. And sometimes it’s not easy for us guys in this league to separate the two — you always end up bringing your work home with you, good or bad — and I really was trying to be aware of that. I didn’t need to bring my problems from practice home to my wife, who had a lot bigger fish to fry.”


(sportsradiointerviews.com)

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and his wife Kara brought their son home from the hospital Tuesday – four weeks after TJ Olsen was born with a congenital heart defect.

TJ Olsen spent nearly a month at the Levine Children’s Hospital after surgery to correct a condition known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which is marked by an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta.

He faces two additional surgeries over his first three years. The next one will be scheduled within three to five months.

The Olsens were excited to reunite TJ with his twin sister, Talbot, who has no health issues, and his 17-month-old brother, Tate.

“Today is a day we have been looking forward to for the past 10 months. To have all our children home together is an amazing feeling,” Greg Olsen said in a text message to the Observer. “TJ is doing great and we look forward to enjoying our time as a family for the next few months until the next big hurdle. Thanks to everyone for all their continued support and prayers.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

CHARLOTTE – Panthers tight end Greg Olsen had been looking forward to the Panthers’ bye week with both anticipation and anxiety, knowing he would become the father of twins but knowing that one of the twins would be born with a serious heart condition.

Now, after a stressful but successful few days, Olsen can start the process of turning his attention back to football.

“It was nice to come back in here today, run around and get back in the swing of things,” Olsen said Monday. “It felt good to get back to reality a little bit.
“It’s been a hard week, but it’s been a good week.”

Since last Tuesday, Olsen’s life has been an unending series of ups and downs, but the prognosis for son T.J. is looking up.

T.J. had his chest closed Monday morning at Levine Children’s Hospital at Carolina Medical Center, four days after undergoing open-heart surgery to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare condition discovered by doctors early in Kara Olsen’s pregnancy.

“He is a strong baby,” Dr. Benjamin B. Peeler, Chief of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgery at Levine, said in a statement. “His postoperative course thus far has been very smooth; however, this is a high-risk condition as well as a high-risk surgical procedure. The postoperative course can be unpredictable and complicated.

“Our team continues to care for T.J. very closely in the cardiac intensive care unit. We are very hopeful that T.J.’s recovery will continue on the same smooth course. The average time in the hospital after the Norwood procedure is about 40 days.”

While twin sister Talbot is now home, T.J. is expected to make Levine home for at least three weeks. After making it through the most dangerous of three surgeries – the Norwood procedure has a 75-percent survival rate – T.J. will undergo a second surgery at six months of age and a final one around his third birthday.

“We’re very fortunate for the care that he’s been able to get, and he’s responded really well to the multiple procedures they’ve done,” Olsen said. “We’re very blessed that he responded the way he did. The doctors at Levine’s have been incredible. We just continue to hope and pray that everything continues to progress as it has the first few days.

“We know he has a long road ahead of him – this is just the first of a few procedures that he’ll have – but he handled the first one really well. That gives us a lot of hope going forward.”

The support shown the Olsens has extended well beyond the hospital walls.

“It’s been incredible – the amount of emails, the letters to my house,” Olsen said. “The guys on the team organized two months of food for us to eat every single night of the week. Steve (Smith) and his wife organized it, and guys volunteered to send food over. It’s been incredible.

“Mr. (Jerry) Richardson came over, Coach (Ron) Rivera, Chud (offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski), players. Everyone has come to see us, everyone has been there, saying, ‘Let me know if you need something.’ It really is a special community here.”

Smith, the elder statesmen of the team now in his 12th NFL season, said his wife, Angie, put together the feeding schedule.

“You’ve got a guy whose son is going to be in the hospital the next couple of weeks. You’ve got to deal with going back and forth, and they have two other kids,” Smith said. “It’s just what you do.”

While Kara Olsen is home with Talbot as well as 16-month-old son Tate, the family’s schedule is still stretched thin. Greg Olsen slept at the hospital the first four nights but has since returned home to help his wife get back on her feet.

“Mom’s doing real good. She’s unbelievably strong – you don’t carry around two eight-pound babies for 37 weeks if you’re not,” Olsen said. “Once she’s back to herself, a couple of nights a week I’ll go after practice and stay there (at the hospital) with T.J. just to make sure he feels that presence and knows somebody is there.

“In my mind, he knows when we’re there and when we’re not, so we’ll try to be there for him as much as we can.”


(beachcarolina.com)

Timing and teammates have helped Panthers tight end Greg Olsen through his newborn son’s first few days.

Olsen spent four days and nights at the hospital last week watching over his son, who was born with a heart defect that required surgery.

“It’s been a hard week but it’s been a good week. We’re fortunate for the care that he’s been able to get,” Olsen said. “He’s responded really well to the multiple procedures that they’ve done. We’re very fortunate and very blessed that he responded the way he did. The doctors and everyone have been incredible here at Levine (Children’s Hospital).”

Olsen’s wife, Kara, delivered twins on Tuesday, and TJ had his first surgery on Thursday. Olsen was able to get his mind off football for a week during the Panthers’ bye.

“I hadn’t put much thought into the game this last week or so,” he said. “And it really worked out well that it was the bye. It would have been tough yesterday having a game to prepare for all week, but I didn’t have to worry about that. It was nice to come in here today and run around and get into the swing of things.”

Several teammates, head coach Ron Rivera, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and team founder/owner Jerry Richardson have visited the Olsens. Olsen said the outpouring from the community has been incredible – from emails to letters at his home to even a food drive.

Wide receiver Steve Smith and his wife organized the players and their significant others to supply meals each night for two months for the Olsens.

“It really is a special community,” Olsen said. “I’ve said it since the day I got here. ... In these bad times it really shows, but I knew it beforehand. This is a special group of people around here. It’s a really well-run organization. Right now we’re benefitting from it but it will be someone else some other time.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

Timing and teammates have helped Panthers tight end Greg Olsen through his newborn son’s first few days.

Olsen spent four days and nights at the hospital last week watching over his son, who was born with a heart defect that required surgery.

“It’s been a hard week but it’s been a good week. We’re fortunate for the care that he’s been able to get,” Olsen said. “He’s responded really well to the multiple procedures that they’ve done. We’re very fortunate and very blessed that he responded the way he did. The doctors and everyone have been incredible here at Levine (Children’s Hospital).”

Olsen’s wife, Kara, delivered twins on Tuesday, and TJ had his first surgery on Thursday. Olsen was able to get his mind off football for a week during the Panthers’ bye.

“I hadn’t put much thought into the game this last week or so,” he said. “And it really worked out well that it was the bye. It would have been tough yesterday having a game to prepare for all week, but I didn’t have to worry about that. It was nice to come in here today and run around and get into the swing of things.”

Several teammates, coach Ron Rivera, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and owner Jerry Richardson have visited the Olsens. Olsen said the outpouring from the community has been incredible – from emails to letters at his home to even a food drive.

Wide receiver Steve Smith and his wife organized the players and their significant others to supply meals for the Olsens.

“It really is a special community,” Olsen said. “I’ve said it since the day I got here. ... In these bad times it really shows, but I knew it beforehand. This is a special group of people around here. It’s a really well-run organization. Right now we’re benefitting from it but it will be someone else some other time.”

Still evaluating: Rivera said it will be later in the week before decisions are made regarding who will start at middle linebacker and right guard against Dallas on Sunday.

Rookie Luke Kuechly started in place of Jon Beason (knee) against Seattle and said he worked at middle and weakside linebacker Monday.

Rivera said earlier this season he preferred to keep Kuechly on the outside, but he was forced to adjust when Beason was unable to play against the Seahawks.

“The approach is you’ve got to see who is doing what and put them in the best position,” Rivera said. “Again, we just have to evaluate our players, evaluate what we do and how things fit.”

Geoff Hangartner is expected to replace Ryan Kalil at center, opening the starting right guard position to Jeff Byers or Garry Williams.

The Panthers added free agent Thomas Austin last week after Kalil’s season-ending injury was discovered.

Austin, undrafted out of Clemson, signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. He played three games with Houston in 2011 and most recently was with New England before being cut Oct. 2.

“He’s a veteran guy who’s played in this league. You try to find those kind of guys who are out there,” Rivera said. “He happened to be coming off an injury and we were able to sign him.”

Cowboy watch: ESPN reported Monday that Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray suffered a ligament injury to his foot but it is not season-threatening. Murray leads the Cowboys with 330 rushing yards and also has 17 receptions for 118 yards.

Rivera said the Panthers are planning to face Murray.


(heraldonline.com)

CHARLOTTE—Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is in the midst of a productive season while dealing with a difficult time in his personal life.

Olsen's wife, Kara, delivered twins during the team's bye week. The baby girl is healthy, but the Olsens' son was born with a congenital heart condition diagnosed during prenatal exams.

TJ Olsen last week underwent the first of three open-heart surgeries scheduled before his third birthday. The first procedure is the most risky and invasive, but the doctor who performed the surgery said early signs are positive.

Olsen, in his second year with the Panthers, will be spending several nights a week at the Charlotte hospital, where TJ will remain for about 40 days. He said he's grateful for the support of the Panthers, including owner Jerry Richardson, who chartered a plane and accompanied the Olsens to Boston in May for consultations with pediatric heart specialists.

TJ's middle name is Jerry in honor of the Panthers' owner.

Meanwhile, Olsen is the Panthers' leading receiver with 22 catches and ranks among the top 10 tight ends in the league in receiving with 293 yards and a touchdown.


(sportingnews.com)

The newborn son of Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is doing well following open-heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect.

T.J. Olsen underwent successful surgery Thursday at Levine Children’s Hospital – the first of three scheduled surgeries before his third birthday. Greg Olsen told the Observer on Friday that T.J.’s first 24 hours after the day-long procedure had gone well.

The first surgery is the most invasive and has the most risks.

“If he stays on this path they can close up his chest Sunday, which is another big step,” Olsen said via text message.

Kara Olsen delivered twins by Caesarian section Tuesday – a daughter, Talbot, and T.J., who was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome during Kara’s 18th week of pregnancy. The condition, more prevalent among males, is marked by an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta, causing the right side of the heart to overcompensate if left untreated.

Olsen said the family brought Talbot home from the hospital Friday. The Olsens also have a 16-month-old-son named Tate.

“Got to bring my baby girl home today to meet his big brother!!” Olsen posted on his Twitter feed Friday night. “Heading back to hospital to see my buddy. Bittersweet day.”

Olsen also tweeted about the support his family has received.

“Thank u all for the amazing support and prayers for my family,” he tweeted. “You have helped us thru this nightmare. Our boy is a fighter.”


(heraldonline.com)

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen's wife, Kara, had twins this week, but the couple knew going into the childbirth, their infant son was going to have a tough fight.

Talbot, the newborn daughter, would be delivered in good health, but Greg and Kara had learned about halfway through the pregnancy that baby boy T.J. has hypoplastic left heart syndrome (an undeveloped left ventricle and aorta).

They also knew that T.J. would have to undergo three surgeries before the age of 3, including one just days after he was born.

On Thursday, T.J. underwent the first surgery (considered the most invasive of the three), and this evening, Greg Olsen tweeted that it was a success.

After a full day of surgery our son TJ is resting comfortably in the cardio intensive care unit. Surgery a success. 1st step of long road

Thank u all for the amazing support and prayers for my family. You have helped us thru this nightmare. Our boy is a fighter.

So, obviously, great news for the Olsens, and here's hoping T.J. will continue on the path to full health and happiness.


(cbssports.com)

CHARLOTTE T.J. Olsen, the newborn son of Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, will have the first of three scheduled open-heart surgeries Thursday at Levine Children's Hospital to correct a congenital heart defect.

Kara Olsen delivered twins by Cesarian section Tuesday – T.J. and a daughter, Talbot. The Olsens learned 18 weeks into the pregnancy that T.J. has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition marked by an undeveloped left ventricle and aorta that affects between 1 and 4 babies for every 10,000 live births.
The first surgery is the most invasive and carries the most risk. T.J. will face two additional surgeries before his third birthday.

“He continues to be closely monitored by physicians and clinical staff during this very important period of time,” Olsen said Wednesday via text message. “We appreciate the thoughts and prayers and respect for our family's privacy.”

Olsen said Kara and Talbot are doing well.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said everyone in the organization is thinking about Olsen and his family.

“They had the babies (Tuesday) night. They were both big. One was over 8 pounds. The other one was almost 8 pounds,” Rivera said. “Now T.J. is in the infant care unit, and they'll go from there. So far, so good. We'll keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”

Offensive tackle Jordan Gross said he texted with Olsen after the twins arrived.

“Delivery was good. Everything's going according to what they predicted,” Gross said. “They were healthy and big, which was good. So they're getting a good start.”

Running back DeAngelo Williams, who has a 2-year-old daughter, said he is confident T.J. will make a full recovery.

“Everybody here's praying for him,” Williams said. “In this day and age, with the technology that we have – it's better than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. I don't expect anything less than their best, and I know he'll recover.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

Greg Olsen caught just two passes for 37 yards in the Panthers' Week 5 loss to the Seahawks.

The FOX broadcast team was going nuts as Olsen saw no targets in the first half despite running open on multiple occasions. Cam Newton was simply locked onto Steve Smith and couldn't get off him. Olsen ended up with just three targets, but expect the Panthers' coaches to hammer Newton with tape during the bye week. He'll see that Olsen is getting open with ease.


(rotoworld.com)

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and his wife Kara learned that their unborn child will be born with a heart defect. They hope a series of surgeries will save his life.

Greg Olsen led the Panthers with 89 yards and a touchdown on six receptions versus the Falcons in Week 4.

Olsen had seven targets, leading the team for the second consecutive week. With Steve Smith drawing attention away, Olsen was left open for a 17-yard catch-and-run touchdown early in the first quarter. On pace for an 80/1,024/4 stat line, Olsen has earned TE1 consideration heading into Week 5 versus the Seahawks.


(rotoworld.com)

Carolina Panthers TE Greg Olsen had six receptions for 56 yards in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Olsen was second on the club with seven targets.




(kffl.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Greg Olsen is hoping he can be as productive as Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham.

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera believes Olsen could be poised for a breakout season not having to share catches with Jeremy Shockey, now a free agent, and with the arrival of new fullback Mike Tolbert, who should lighten Olsen’s load as a blocker.

In fact, Rivera believes “it’s possible” Olsen could put up numbers similar to what Gronkowski and Graham did last season.

And that’s saying something.

Gronkowski turned in a great season a year ago catching 90 passes for 1,327 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns for the AFC champion New England Patriots [team stats]. Graham had 99 catches for 1,310 yards receiving and 11 scores for the division rival New Orleans Saints.

You’d have to scan a bit further down the list of league leaders — OK, way down — to find Olsen’s name.

He finished his first season in Carolina (No. 20 in the AP Pro 32) with 45 catches for 540 yards receiving and five touchdowns.

However, when you begin to factor in Shockey’s numbers — 37 receptions for 455 yards receiving and four touchdowns — it begins to put the Panthers in the same ballpark with the Patriots and Saints when it comes to overall tight end production.

With Shockey not likely to return, Rivera expects more balls will be thrown Olsen’s way.

“This will be his first real opportunity with us to step up and be the starting tight end and be the guy,” Rivera said. “You watch him catch footballs and you watch him run routes and you see those traits that say you can fit right into that group. We’re excited about it.”

Good enough to challenge Gronkowski and Graham?

“It’s possible,” Rivera said. “We spread the ball around so much in this offense, but I really think it’s possible for a guy to have big games and put quite a few of them together and have some big numbers.”

Rivera said Olsen has a tremendous rapport with quarterback Cam Newton and works extremely hard.

“I think he’s a tremendous target,” Rivera said. “I think the chance of him stepping up and being right in the elite group of players at his position I think that’s possible. I really do.”

Olsen also has something else working to his advantage — offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, a former tight ends coach who loves utilizing that position in the passing game.

Just look at what he did for Antonio Gates in San Diego and Kellen Winslow Jr. in Cleveland.

As you might expect all of this talk of more passes thrown his way is music to Olsen’s ears.

He is, after all, a receiver by nature.

Catching the football is what he does best.

And he feels if given the chance he can finish among the league leaders in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

“In terms of physically running, catching and doing all of things, I don’t think there’s a lot of guys in the league who do those things better than I do,” Olsen said. “Sometimes it’s just a matter of different circumstances dictate different results.”

At the same time Olsen isn’t a selfish player.

He doesn’t measure his success by personal statistics.

“I’ve had some seasons where I caught a lot of balls and I looked back and realized I didn’t play all that well overall, and I’ve had others where I caught 40 balls and felt like I played well around,” Olsen said. “I’ve never been one to try to let stats dictate what I bring to the team. But obviously production is what you’re judged on.”

Olsen’s most productive season came in 2009 when he had 612 yards receiving on 60 receptions and eight touchdowns for the Chicago Bears.

While it looked as if he was on the verge of becoming a breakout player in the league, the arrival of offensive coordinator Mike Martz in 2010 changed how the Bears utilized the tight end position.

Olsen spent the majority of his final two seasons with the Bears used more in blocking situations. The Bears traded him away for a third-round draft pick last summer.

Carolina’s plan is to play to Olsen’s strengths.

Olsen said based on the plays the team is running in practice and in preseason games he’ll have an opportunity to put up quality numbers.
“I think so and that’s always been my strength is catching the ball,” Olsen said.


(bostonherald.com)

The complement to star receiver Steve Smith for whom Carolina has been endlessly searching could finally emerge this season in the form of tight end Greg Olsen.

The immensely athletic 6-foot-5, 255-pounder has long held the skills to be as much a consistent pass-catcher as blocker, and now with the departure of veteran tight end Jeremy Shockey, Olsen should receive quite an uptick in his chances to shine with the football.

“I prepare each year to try and go in and be the best guy, and even as a young guy I always played with a lot of confidence that I felt I could do anything that any of the (older) guys could,” Olsen said. “I’ve always approached it to be the main guy and be one of the top guys in the league and that never is going to change. Once it does, you’re going to be in trouble.”

The Panthers still hope that Brandon LaFell or Louis Murphy can admirably fill the second receiver slot, but head coach Ron Rivera thinks Olsen has all the tools to become a playmaker along the lines of top receiving tight ends like New England’s Rob Gronkowski or New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham.

“I think (Olsen) can be right in with them,” Rivera said. “This is going to be his first opportunity with us to step up and be the starting tight end and be the guy. You watch him catch balls and watch him run routes and you see he has the traits where he can fit right in with that group (of elite tight ends).

“So we’re excited and I think it’s an opportunity for Greg and it’s a chance I know he looks forward to.”

Olsen has long since held abundant self-belief that he has the skill to be one of the league’s best, and feels that statistics don’t always tell the true story of a player’s season. Last year in tandem with Shockey, Olsen caught 45 balls for 540 yards and five touchdowns to his counterpart’s 37 for 455 and four scores.
Those numbers in his first year with the Panthers were the third highest totals of a career where the first four seasons were spent in Chicago. The 27-year-old’s most productive season came in 2009 in his first year as a full-time starter, when he caught 60 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns.

He’d shown flashes of brilliance in his previous year when he grabbed 54 for 574 and five touchdowns despite only starting seven games.

“That’s how I’ve always thought of myself,” Olsen said when asked about Rivera saying he could join the league’s elite at his position. “Sometimes situations dictate statistics and I’ve had years where I had good stats but thought my overall play wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, and others where I played good but didn’t catch as many balls as I had. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.”

“Last year with me and Shock both being here, things got a little deluded and at first glance you think you’ve had a down year, but all you can do is with the opportunities you have, and I feel like that was the case, and the two of us were pretty productive as a unit rather than as individuals.”


(goupstate.com)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – We already knew the Carolina Panthers were filled with optimism. (See Ryan Kalil’s newspaper ad promising a Super Bowl title before the start of training camp).

Well, the latest can’t be construed as a “guarantee," but head coach Ron Rivera had a very strong answer Monday when asked if tight end Greg Olsen could be as productive as New England’s Rob Gronkowski and New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham.

For context, Gronkowski had 90 catches for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Graham had 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“I think he can be right in there with them,’’ Rivera said. “This will be his first real opportunity with us to step up and be the starting tight end and be the guy. You watch him catch footballs and you watch him run routes and you see those traits that say you can fit right into that group. We’re excited about it.’’

That may sound a little grandiose, especially when you consider that Olsen had 45 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns last season. But I get Rivera’s point and I don’t think he’s totally off base.

First off, Olsen shared time with Jeremy Shockey last season. Shockey had 37 catches, but he hasn’t re-signed with the Panthers and that doesn’t seem likely. Project those 37 catches over to Olsen and it at least puts him in the same ballpark as Graham and Gronkowski.

But there’s more than that. Olsen was traded to the Panthers from Chicago last year and got thrown right into coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s offense. Rookie quarterback Cam Newton also was picking up the scheme on the fly.

Olsen and Newton have had a full offseason in the system. Plus, Chudzinski’s a former tight ends coach, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s put in a few more wrinkles for Olsen.


(espn.com)

SPARTANBURG Standing in front of his locker late last season, Panthers tight end Greg Olsen looked over the NFL statistics and marveled at the numbers being put up by tight ends Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski.

Olsen noted that, taken together, the receiving totals posted by him and Jeremy Shockey would have placed them fairly high on the list.

With Shockey waiting in limbo as an unsigned free agent, Olsen is poised to take his place among the best pass-catching tight ends in the league.
Except in the Panthers’ offense, Olsen does more than catch passes.

“The world we live in is production-based. That’s fair. And those guys are special guys, don’t get me wrong,” Olsen said Monday. “What Gronkowski and Graham have been able to do in two years – those are the two guys you hear a lot about, deservedly so. They’ve played well. They’ve been very productive. And at the end of the day that’s what you get judged on.



“But I feel on a play-to-play basis with what we’re asked to do, there’s not a lot of guys in the league that get asked to do what we do. From run routes, then the next play you’re at fullback, then you’re pass-blocking, then you’re in the backfield picking up blitzes, then you’re playing receiver again.”

Gronkowski and Graham ripped up the record books in 2011 in their second seasons. Gronkowski, a second-round pick of New England, caught 90 passes for 1,327 yards and a league-leading 17 touchdown receptions. His receiving yards were the most by a tight end in league history.

Graham, a former Miami basketball player drafted by New Orleans in the third round, was just as potent in the Saints’ offense. Graham’s 99 catches were the most by a tight end, and his 1,310 receiving yards would have been if not for Gronkowski.

“When you look at guys like Gronkowski and watch them, they’re not just stat players. He does a lot. He blocks. He really is an all-around player. Same thing as (the Cowboys’ Jason) Witten,” Olsen said. “But the thing that draws the attention is the stats. And last year, me and Jeremy combined were right up there. If we were one person, we would have been right up there.”

Olsen and Shockey combined for 82 catches and 995 yards, which would have ranked third behind Gronkowski and Graham. The catches were split fairly evenly: Olsen had 45 catches for 540 yards; Shockey 37 for 455.

“That system worked for us last year. And we were very productive at it. Neither one of us took it as a knock,” Olsen said. “We knew that neither one as an individual were going to get a lot of recognition. But I’m not a big attention guy.”

Olsen’s father was his high school coach in Wayne, N.J. As the son of a coach, he enjoys the nuances of the game, and says he gets as much satisfaction picking up a back-side blitz as he does pulling down a long pass.

Panthers’ second-year receiver Kealoha Pilares said Olsen knows where everyone is supposed to line up every play.

“That guy approaches every day like it’s work. I always look at him and Steve (Smith) and just how they approach every day at practice. Those are the guys who are always looking to forward to getting better,” Pilares said. “If I ever don’t know what I’m doing I just go ask (Olsen). He’s a really intelligent guy who knows what’s going on.”

The Panthers acquired Olsen last summer in a trade with Chicago, where Olsen played behind Desmond Clark his first two years. Olsen, 27, caught a career-high 60 passes for 612 yards in 2009, but his role diminished the following season when Mike Martz became the Bears’ offensive coordinator.

With the Panthers’ decision not to bring back Shockey, Olsen should be one of Cam Newton’s top targets in the NFL’s fifth-ranked offense last season. Panthers coach Ron Rivera believes Olsen is in the same class as Gronkowski and Graham.

“I think he can be right in there with them,” Rivera said. “This will be his first real opportunity to step up and be the guy. You watch him catch footballs, you watch him run routes and you see those traits that he can fit right into that group.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

Even when they've moved on to other teams, former Bears still seem to get a kick out of coming back to Chicago.

Carolina Panther tight end Greg Olsen will return to the city of his former employer on June 30 to host the 9th annual Kicks for a Cure kickball tournament in Grant Park.

The event is billed as the largest kickball tournament in the world and raises funds for Olsen's cancer charity, Receptions for Research.

Matt Forte and Indianapolis Colt Drew Stanton will be playing on Olsen's team this year.

Sixty teams are participating in the tournament, which sold out in 15 days.

But even though it's too late to play, spectators can purchase day passes for $50 which allows entrance into the Hutchinson Field event, as well as food and beverage throughout the day.


(nbcchicago.com)

CORAL GABLES— The Miami Hurricanes landed one of the nation's best high school quarterbacks on Friday as Wayne Hills (N.J.) High's Kevin Olsen, the younger brother of former 'Canes tight end Greg Olsen, orally committed to join the 2013 signing class.

Olsen (6-3, 196) is the nation's seventh-ranked quarterback prospect according to Rivals.com, the 77th best prospect according to ESPN.com and the fifth-best pro style quarterback and 51st overall prospect according to 247Sports.

His other finalists were Auburn and Wisconsin.

"It was a combination of things. It was a combination of liking the coaches a lot and liking the offense they run," Olsen told MSGVarsity.com. "And I think Miami is going to be back. I think they can get to where they were years ago. I think I can help them get back there."

Olsen said his brother's ties to UM didn't determine his decision.

"Contrary to what many people think, he didn't push me here. That wasn't the case," Olsen said. "He told me that at the end of the day, it's up to you and it's your decision."

Olsen has a 22-2 record in two years as a starter, and as a junior last season led Wayne Hills to its second straight state championship. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,686 yards and 20 touchdowns. He threw six interceptions.

The Hurricanes now have seven commitments for the 2013 class, including Palm Beach Central athlete Angelo Jean-Louis, who signed with the 'Canes in February, but for academic reasons will attend Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy this fall.

Should Olsen sign in February and two-sport star David Thompson, one of three quarterbacks in UM's 2012 signing class, choose not to pursue a pro baseball career after the MLB Draft next month, the 'Canes are set to have six quarterbacks for 2013. They had just two under scholarship when Al Golden took over as head coach in December 2010.


(sun-sentinel.com)

Deciding Miami led all FBS programs in producing quality NFL running backs was a tough call.

Picking Miami as the top school to find future pro receivers and tight ends wasn't nearly as difficult.

Miami's contingent of NFL wide receivers includes Houston Texans star Andre Johnson and Indianapolis Colts standout Reggie Wayne, who have each earned five Pro Bowl appearances while combining for 125 touchdown catches and over 21,000 receiving yards.

Other Miami receivers on NFL rosters last season included Devin Hester (Chicago Bears), Leonard Hankerson (Washington Redskins), Santana Moss (Washington Redskins) and Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo Bills, now with San Diego Chargers). Moss is a former 1,000-yard receiver, while Hester arguably is the greatest kick returner in NFL history.

Miami was an even more obvious pick at tight end. In fact, tight end may have been the easiest pick of any position for this entire project. Miami's tradition of sending tight ends to the NFL has even caught the attention of high school prospects.

"I felt like this is where I'm going to be the best and I'm going to reach my full potential," New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr junior tight end Standish Dobard told CaneSport.com after committing to the Hurricanes this month. "They have a history of really good tight ends here."

Former Miami tight ends now in the NFL include Dedrick Epps (New York Jets), Richard Gordon (Oakland Raiders), Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints), Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers), Jeremy Shockey (Carolina Panthers) and Kellen Winslow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Shockey is a four-time Pro Bowl pick and Winslow has earned one Pro Bowl invitation.

But the biggest success story of all is Graham, who actually came to Miami on a basketball scholarship. He switched to football in 2009 and showed enough in that one season to get drafted in the third round.

All he did last season was catch 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. The only tight end to ever accumulate more receiving yards in a season was New England's Rob Gronkowski, who compiled 1,327 yards last year.

Although no other schools can approach Miami's success at developing NFL tight ends, a few other programs also deserve mention. Former Iowa tight ends Dallas Clark and Tony Moeaki have enjoyed solid NFL careers. Arizona State produced NFL veterans Todd Heap and Zach Miller. Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez joins Cameron Morrah and Craig Stevens as former California tight ends in the NFL. Wisconsin has sent Travis Beckum, Owen Daniels, Garrett Graham and Lance Kendricks to the NFL in recent seasons.

LSU was worth considering at the wide receiver spot. Dwayne Bowe has developed into a star for the Kansas City Chiefs. Early Doucet (Arizona Cardinals), Brandon LaFell (Carolina Panthers) and Devery Henderson (New Orleans Saints) each collected over 500 receiving yards last season.
But nobody compared to Miami at either position.

Even though Miami has enjoyed similar success at the wide receiver and tight end spots, the Hurricanes have relied on different strategies at each of those positions.

Most of the NFL receivers to come from Miami were South Florida products. Johnson and Parrish both played at Miami Senior High. Moss went to Miami Carol City. Hankerson graduated from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Hester came from Riviera Beach (Fla.) Suncoast. A notable exception is Wayne, who went to Marrero (La.) John Ehret.

But most of its star tight ends didn't play for Florida high schools.

Olsen comes from New Jersey. Miami landed Shockey from Oklahoma. Winslow made the coast-to-coast move from San Diego to Miami. Graham's from North Carolina. Dobard looks to continue that tradition when he arrives at Miami in 2013.

Both strategies have worked quite well for Miami.

The only legitimate criticism that could be made about Miami's ability to send receivers and tight ends to the NFL is that many of its top guys at this position are at or past their primes.

Hankerson, a third-round pick last year, is the only Miami receiver to get drafted since 2007. Wayne ended his Miami career in 2000. Johnson's last two years at Miami were the 2001 national championship season and the 2002 campaign that ended with a Fiesta Bowl overtime loss to Ohio State.

And even though Graham has emerged as an immediate star in the NFL after a brief college career, most of Miami's other productive NFL tight ends left college long ago. Shockey's last season at Miami was 2001. Winslow finished his college career in 2004 and Olsen left Miami after the 2006 season.

Olsen, who caught 38 passes in 2006, was the last Miami tight end to catch more than 22 passes in a season. Miami's main pass-catching tight end last season was Clive Walford, who caught 18 passes for 172 yards as a redshirt freshman after playing just one year of high school football at Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades Central.

Tommy Streeter should assure that Miami has a wide receiver drafted for a second straight season. After catching 46 passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns last year, Streeter has been projected as a mid- to late-round pick in this year's draft.

Miami might not have a tight end drafted anytime soon, mainly because of its youth at that position. Walford still has plenty of time left in his college career. Miami didn't sign a tight end in its 2012 class, but the Hurricanes rectified that issue by getting the early 2013 commitment from Dobard.
"I hope to be one of the best tight ends ever to come through Miami," Dobard told CaneSport.com.

That would be quite an accomplishment indeed.

WIDE RECEIVER U. 2012

Our choice: Miami.
Who they've sent: Leonard Hankerson (Washington Redskins), Devin Hester (Chicago Bears), Andre Johnson (Houston Texans), Santana Moss (Washington Redskins), Roscoe Parrish (San Diego Chargers), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts).
Who's next: Tommy Streeter is a projected mid- to late-round selection in this year's draft.
Why we picked them: Johnson and Wayne are two of the most productive receivers of the last decade. Each has five Pro Bowl appearances. They have combined for 125 touchdown catches and over 21,000 receiving yards. Moss also is a former Pro Bowl selection. Hester remains an unpolished receiver, but he's one of the best kick returners in football history.
Other finalists: Florida (Denver's Andre Caldwell, Philadelphia's Riley Cooper, Washington's Jabar Gaffney, Minnesota's Percy Harvin, Oakland's Louis Murphy, Buffalo's David Nelson), LSU (Kansas City's Dwayne Bowe, New York Giants' Michael Clayton, Arizona's Early Doucet, New Orleans' Devery Henderson, Houston's Trindon Holliday, Carolina's Brandon LaFell, Detroit's Terrence Toliver), Michigan (New Orleans' Adrian Arrington, Philadelphia's Jason Avant, Kansas City's Steve Breaston, San Francisco's Mario Manningham), Ohio State (San Francisco's Ted Ginn, New England's Anthony Gonzalez, Miami's Brian Hartline, New York Jets' Santonio Holmes, Minnesota's Michael Jenkins)
Candidate you might not have considered: Tennessee, Texas Tech.

TIGHT END U. 2012

Our choice: Miami.
Who they've sent: Richard Gordon (Oakland Raiders), Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints), Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers), Jeremy Shockey (free agent), Kellen Winslow Jr. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Who's next: Nobody's on the horizon. Miami's top pass catching tight end last year was Clive Walford, a redshirt freshman in 2011.
Why we picked them: Miami would have been the clear pick even if we'd done this a year ago, before Graham delivered a breakthrough season in which he caught 99 passes. Graham, Shockey and Winslow have all earned Pro Bowl invitations at some point in their careers.
Other finalists: Arizona State (Arizona's Todd Heap, Seattle's Zach Miller), California (Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez, Seattle's Cameron Morrah, Tennessee's Craig Stevens), Iowa (Buffalo's Scott Chandler, free agent Dallas Clark, Kansas City's Tony Moeaki, Oakland's Brandon Myers, Minnesota's Allen Reisner), Notre Dame (Seattle's John Carlson, Miami's Anthony Fasano, Minnesota's Kyle Rudolph), Texas (Green Bay's Jermichael Finley, Cincinnati's Bo Scaife, New Orleans' David Thomas), Wisconsin (New York Giants' Travis Beckum, Houston's Owen Daniels, Houston's Garrett Graham, St. Louis' Lance Kendricks)
Candidate you might not have considered: Colorado State is the alma mater of Denver's Joel Dreessen and San Diego's Kory Sperry. Dreessen caught six touchdown passes for the Houston Texans last season before signing with the Broncos as a free agent.


(yahoosports.com)

Very quietly, the Carolina Panthers have restructured the contract of tight end Greg Olsen.

The deal was done several weeks ago, but I haven’t seen it reported anywhere. The Panthers have made other moves since Olsen’s restructure and they currently are the only team in the NFL with less than $1 million in salary-cap space.

The Panthers dropped Olsen’s salary-cap figure from $4.125 million to $2.4 million by converting $2.3 million of his scheduled base salary into a signing bonus that will be pro-rated over the life of his contract. The Panthers also converted a $2.5 million option bonus into a signing bonus that also will be pro-rated over the rest of Olsen’s contract.


(espn.com)

Greg Olsen turned into being part of the package that brought the Chicago Bears Brandon Marshall.

General manager Phil Emery cleared up questions about what specific picks the Bears shipped to the Miami Dolphins in the Tuesday trade for the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

The Bears gave the Dolphins the 74th overall pick in the third round, the pick they received from the Carolina Panthers for Olsen, and their third-round pick in 2013.

The Bears still have seven picks in this draft. But their pick in the third round will come later.


(chicagotribune.com)

Reggie Wayne started a new streak last week by scoring 56-yard TD (his 1st TD since Week 1) finishing the game with 5 receptions for 122 yards and Jimmy Graham added 2 TDs to go along with his team leading 84 yards on 5 receptions for the New Orleans Saints in their victory over the NY Giants in Week 13 of the 2011 NFL Season.

This Week there were FIVE proCane TDs. The day was started off buy Vince Wilfork who scored his first career NFL TD by recovering a fumble in the end zone and was capped by a Frank Gore TD.

To see the old full 149 week streak click here.

Week 14 2011:
Vince Wilfork - 1 TD - New England Patriots
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - Carolina Panthers
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Carolina Panthers
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redksins
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco


Week 13 2011:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Denver Broncos

Week 12 2011:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Jimmy Graham - 2 TDs - New Orleans Saints

Greg Olsen caught two passes for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons in Week 14.

Olsen lost a 6-yard touchdown to Jeremy Shockey, but responded with a 44-yard score of his own off a tight-end screen. While the six targets are the most he's had in three weeks, Olsen is still more of a TE2 option against a tough Texans defense in Week 15.



(rotoworld.com)

Greg Olsen caught just one pass for 21 yards in the Panthers' Week 13 win over the Buccaneers.

Olsen also dropped a potential touchdown and finished with just four targets. Mired in a slump, Olsen will only be a high-end TE2 consideration against the Falcons in Week 14. He has cleared 50 yards just once in his last eight games.


(rotoworld.com)

Greg Olsen is happy to be one of Cam Newton's favorite targets with the Carolina Panthers, but the tight end believes the Chicago Bears were "unprofessional" in their dealings with him that led to a trade before the season.

Olsen, known more as a pass-catching tight end than a blocker, was an odd fit in a Mike Martz offense that utilizes the position more for blocking. The Bears traded Olsen to the Panthers in July, a year after the New England Patriots were in trade talks for him. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said during training camp that Olsen pushed for a trade then, a claim Olsen denies.

"I just felt that the way they approached it was, in my opinion, a little unprofessional," Olsen said Wednesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "The night before the trade when they contacted me and I spoke to Jerry, we had a good healthy conversation and he laid out what they were thinking, that they were not going to invest that money in the position because of the offense and all those things that we all know.

"[He said] they were going to entertain trades. I said that's fine. I get that. I said you know me I'm not one that goes out and speaks to the media. I'm not really a throw-guys-under-the-bus [kind of guy]. I respect that. I was nothing but professional. Then the day after the trade goes down he was the one saying that I was demanding [a trade in 2010]. I just thought that was a little uncalled for when all along I did nothing but play the good guy."

Olsen, a first-round draft pick in 2007 who caught 41 passes for 404 yards and five touchdowns in his fourth and final season with the Bears in 2010, said he felt the organization let him down after word got out that a trade with the Patriots fell through.

"Last year when they tried to trade me to New England and it all falls through I'm the guy out there biting the bullet keeping the straight face saying 'I'm happy to be here' in an offense that I knew wasn't going to use me," Olsen said. "I still went out there and played one of my best all-around seasons that I have had in the league, blocking and doing all the things they asked me to do being the team guy.

"Then for them to just throw me under the bus when I never did demand a trade, I just thought that was unprofessional on their part. But at the end of the day it is what it is, and I really can honestly say I'm happy here and I'm really happy that they made that decision for my career. Obviously they are having a good season too so it's worked out for everybody."

Olsen already has 30 catches and four touchdowns this season playing with rookie star Newton, who is second in the NFL with 2,393 yards.

Olsen still keeps in touch with his former Bears teammates, including running back Matt Forte, who has been in talks with the Bears about a contract extension. The Bears reportedly will use the franchise tag on Forte if they don't get a long-term deal done by February.

The breakdown in the contract negotiations don't make sense to Olsen.

"I think it's a little crazy that they won't reward their best player," Olsen said. "Let's be honest, especially offensively he's been pretty much the whole offense. He singlehandedly beat us. He's a great kid. He works extremely hard as we all know in working out with him in the offseason. It's not a mystery why he's having such a good season. And it's not just one season. He's been like this since he was a rookie. He's come in and carried a heavy load under two different offensive coordinators and his play has just continued to get better.

"Those are the guys you want to see rewarded, the guys that do it the right way, the guys that aren't real flashy and don't really care about all the extra curricular stuff but just go out and play every week really hard. You've got to hope that they do the right thing but as we all know sometimes they make decisions that are a little crazy."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Greg Olsen caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings in Week 8.

Olsen put a great move on Husain Abdullah at the line of scrimmage to break free for a 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter. His seven targets tied for the second-most on the team. Olsen is on pace for 60 receptions, 718 yards, and eight touchdowns heading into the Week 9 bye.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Through seven weeks of the season, there are four NFC South representatives among the six most-targeted tight ends in the NFL. The top two spots are occupied by NFC South players.

New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham has been targeted a league-high 66 times, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has 45 catches for 674 yards and five touchdowns.

Tampa Bay’s Kellen Winslow is No. 2 with 56 targets. He has 31 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 5 with 50 targets. Gonzalez has 35 catches for 380 yards and four touchdowns.

Carolina’s Greg Olsen is No. 6. He’s been targeted 45 times and has 26 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Olsen’s numbers could be higher, but he shares time -- and targets -- with Jeremy Shockey.

Even though he’s not the primary tight end, Shockey still ranks No. 16 with 37 targets. He has 22 catches for 291 yards.

Click here to order Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Greg Olsen caught just one pass for four yards in Sunday's win over the Redskins.

Olsen may have been limited by his turf toe issue. The Panthers ran a screen for Jeremy Shockey in a spot they'd normally use Olsen. In the four games prior to today, Olsen was averaging 5.0 catches for 42.5 yards with three touchdowns. After next week's game against the Vikings, Olsen will have the bye to rest his toe.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Panthers TE Greg Olsen (turf toe) returned to a full practice on Thursday.

Olsen is fully expected to start against a Redskins defense allowing the 20th-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Greg Olsen's turf toe issue is not believed to be serious. The ex-Bear is averaging 4.1 catches for 47 yards with three touchdowns through six games. He'll be a borderline TE1 option against a Redskins team that gave up a decent game to previously dormant Brent Celek last week. Rotoworld ranks Olsen as the No. 12 fantasy play at the position this week.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers: He’s not a sexy name, but Olsen currently ranks sixth in fantasy points at the tight end position in standard scoring formats. He should be owned in all leagues with ten or more teams, especially when you consider the fact that quarterback Cam Newton currently ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(nationalfootballpost.com)

Greg Olsen caught three passes for 21 yards and a touchdown against the Saints in Week 5.
He was targeted five times. Olsen couldn't haul in a short pass thrown behind him in the end zone, but Cam Newton came right back to him for a 5-yard touchdown just a few plays later. Olsen is averaging 48 yards with three touchdowns heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Falcons.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Back when Randy Shannon was attempting to talk basketball player Jimmy Graham into trying football, the former University of Miami football coach used a very powerful recruiting pitch.

“He said, 'We are Tight End U,'" Graham said. “He said, 'Look at the guys who’ve been through here -- Greg Olsen, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey. Look where they are now. They’re in the NFL. You can do the same thing.'"

Shannon’s out at Miami, but he turned out to be a prophet. Graham, now with the New Orleans Saints, is doing a lot of the same things Olsen and Shockey are doing for the Carolina Panthers and Winslow is doing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Throw in Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez, who didn’t go to Miami but has another common bond with Graham, and you can make a pretty strong case that the NFC South has the league’s best collection of pass-catching tight ends.

"None of those guys are guys you want to end up covering," said New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who played at Miami. "I had to do it in college and thought I was getting away from it and I did for a few years. But now I've got to deal with it in this division and I've got to deal with it every day in practice. It’s not a lot of fun."

It’s not mere coincidence that the NFC South, once a wasteland for tight ends, is suddenly filled with some of the best pass-catchers in the league. And it’s no coincidence that most of them came through the Miami pipeline.

When one team has success with something, other teams tend to follow. And when you’re looking for good tight ends, you look for the guys who come from the best factory.

The Saints started this trend back in 2008 when they traded for Shockey. The next offseason, the Falcons traded for Gonzalez and the Bucs traded for Winslow. In 2010, the Saints used a third-round pick on Graham, who played only one year of college football. He showed them so much potential that the Saints released Shockey after last season.

He didn't stay unemployed for long. Before the lockout started, the Panthers scooped up Shockey. They later made a trade with Chicago to get Olsen. There was some very strong logic behind both moves.

Ron Rivera had just taken over as Carolina’s coach and he brought Rob Chudzinski as his offensive coordinator. Yep, you guessed it. Chudzinski once was the tight ends coach at the University of Miami.

"We’re caught up in the same boat to a degree, but we’re young at a couple positions and we have enough playmakers at tight end that you have to account for both of them," Rivera said.

The Panthers, who pretty much ignored offense in the John Fox days, found their franchise quarterback in Cam Newton. And now they're using their tight ends as frequently as the other teams in the division.

Watch an NFC South game these days and you’ll think you're on the practice field in Coral Gables.

"As soon as I made the decision to play football, they started showing me tapes," Graham said. "I watched tapes of Olsen, Winslow and Shockey. I guess that was pretty much like reading a textbook on how to play tight end. Heck, even when I was getting ready for the draft and my combine workout and pro day, I watched a tape of Olsen's pro day over and over because everybody told me that was like the greatest workout ever for a tight end. It’s pretty amazing because I didn't have a lot of football experience, but I feel like those guys cleared the way for me. I learned a lot by watching tape of them and I think the reputation they created for Miami tight ends also helped me a lot."

But the commonality Graham has with Gonzalez might have played a role. Like Graham, Gonzalez played some college basketball. There are people who say Gonzalez could have played in the NBA, but he chose football. That turned out to be the right move because Gonzalez has been the most prolific pass-catching tight end in the history of the NFL.

It also didn't hurt that San Diego's Antonio Gates, another former basketball player, has probably been the closest thing to Gonzalez.

"I think when someone has success like Antonio Gates had and the league sees that, I think all of us pay attention to another area to scout than just the college football field," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.

Payton’s having fun drawing up plays for the former basketball player. In Sunday’s victory at Jacksonville, Graham had the best game of his career -- 10 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.

"He’s a guy that is going to give you headaches if he can stretch your team vertically," said Rivera, who will face Graham and the Saints on Sunday. "He has enough athletic ability and route-running ability and good hands to cause you problems underneath. And if you’re not careful and you try to match him up with the wrong guy, he could take advantage of that."

But it’s not just Graham that Rivera and the other NFC South coaches have to worry about. Every time an NFC South team takes the field these days, you have to worry about the tight ends.

They’re a huge part of every passing game. Graham is second in the league with 36 targets. At 35, Gonzalez hasn’t slowed a bit. He has 21 catches for 229 yards and is tied for second among the league’s tight ends with four touchdown catches. Winslow and Olsen each have been targeted 27 times, which ties them for seventh in the league among tight ends, and each have 17 catches. Shockey’s been targeted 19 times and has 11 catches.

"All those guys are like wide receivers playing tight end and they can block too," Vilma said. "As a defense, you have to account for them on every play. It's not really supposed to be like that. But, in our division, that’s the reality now."


(espn.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tight end Greg Olsen has played an integral role for the Carolina Panthers' offense so far this season.

The Bears traded Olsen, a four-year starter, to the Panthers in July for a third-round draft pick in 2012 because he no longer fit in Chicago's offensive scheme. Olsen has been productive in Carolina, where tight ends are a featured part of the passing game.

He has 140 yards on 13 receptions, including a game-winning 16-yard touchdown reception last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars that gave the Panthers their first win of the season. He also scored on a two-point conversion.

On Sunday, he makes his return to Soldier Field, where he caught 194 passes for 1,981 yards and 20 touchdowns in four seasons.

"Of course I want to go up there and play well and I would be lying if I said I didn't," Olsen said. "But you don't want to try to do too much and make it more than it is. It's not the Super Bowl. We want to continue to get better and that's the approach we're going to take."

It's been reported that Olsen asked for a trade to leave Chicago, something that he vehemently disputes.

"I didn't ask for a trade, it's about as simple as that," Olsen said. "They will say what they want to and protect themselves so people won't make them out to seem, you know, whatever. But it's over and I'm glad I'm here."

So are the Panthers.

When the Bears informed other teams that Olsen was on the trading block, it took only minutes for the Panthers to respond with an offer.
"We moved immediately," coach Ron Rivera said.

It took some bargaining on the part of both sides, but eventually a deal was struck. General manager Marty Hurney described Olsen as a "perfect fit" in coordinator Rob Chudzinski's offense.

Olsen and fellow tight end Jeremy Shockey have been huge safety valve outlets for young quarterback Cam Newton, combining for 25 receptions for 306 yards.

They've also freed up the outside for four-time Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith, who's enjoying a renaissance of sorts in his 11th season.

"The big reason we wanted (Olsen) is because of what we were familiar with in San Diego," said Rivera, who was the Chargers defensive coordinator last season. "I'd seen what we did with Antonio Gates under coach (Norv) Turner. Knowing how valuable a tight end was going to be in our offense, we made the move."


(chron.com)

Panthers-Bears doesn’t exactly have the storied rivalry of Packers-Bears, but this week’s game at Soldier Field means a little extra to a few members of the Panthers organization.

“I’m not going to downplay it. People say it’s just another game. No, it’s not,” Panthers coach Rivera said Monday. “They’re all big, but this has a little personal meaning for me because it’s Chicago. It’s a great city and a great organization. Now I’m here in Charlotte in a great organization and a great city. It’ll be fun. I look forward to going up there.”

Rivera, of course, was drafted by the Bears and played for their 1985 Super Bowl team.  He’s also had two coaching stints there under Dave Wannstedt and then Lovie Smith before Chicago went in a different direction at defensive coordinator.

Rivera isn’t the only one that’s fired up.

“To say this game doesn’t light your fire a little more with everything that happened would be a lie,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen told the Chicago Tribune. “I’m excited.”

While Jay Cutler has struggled to find weapons passing, Olsen is off to a nice start in Carolina with 12 catches, 169 yards, and a game-winning touchdown last week.  He’s on pace to have the best year of his career after Chicago traded him to the Panthers.

We haven’t even mentioned Julius Peppers yet.  Charles Johnson of the Panthers gets a shot to prove perhaps he’s the best big money defensive end on the field this week.

It’s not Packers-Bears, but it’s not bad.

And it’s a game the Bears desperately need to win.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballtalk.com)

Tight end Greg Olsen will make his return to Chicago to face the team that traded him to the Panthers this offseason.

“Of course I want to go up there and play well, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t,” Olsen said. “But you don’t want to try to do too much and make it more than it is. It’s not the Super Bowl. We want to continue to get better and that’s the approach we’re going to take.”

After the trade, the Bears said Olsen had asked to be traded, something Olsen vehemently denies.

“I didn’t ask for a trade, it’s about as simple as that,” Olsen said. “They will say what they want to and protect themselves so people won’t make them out to seem, you know, whatever. But it’s over and I’m glad I’m here.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(gastongazzette.com)

In terms of Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, do you ask them to do the same things or different things?
Chudzinski: “I think a lot of the things they do, both of them can do.  There may be a few things we will ask one of them to do a little bit more of. I have been real pleased with both of them. Obviously Greg makes the big catches at the end of the game (Sunday) but Jeremy has been doing all of the little things to help win. You watch the film yesterday and you see some of the blocks down the field or a catch in a critical situation that Jeremy has. I have been real pleased with how those guys are playing.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s or Jeremy Shockey’s proCane Rookie Card.


(www.gastongazette.com)

Greg Olsen caught seven passes for 57 yards with a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Jaguars.

Olsen also nabbed a two-point conversion. His touchdown capped a game-winning drive as he caught the ball over the middle and outran three Jaguar defenders to the end zone with just over four minutes left. Olsen led the team in targets with 10 today as a heavy downpour made it difficult to get downfield. He's locked in as the weekly No. 2 target for Cam Newton behind Steve Smith.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Greg Olsen caught one pass for 34 yards in Week 2 against Green Bay. The Panthers started in a two-tight end set and used them throughout, but the coaching staff appears to envision Olsen and Jeremy Shockey as interchangeable -- both blocking and receiving wise.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(fantasysp.com)

CHARLOTTE — Rookie quarterback Cam Newton completed two passes to wide receivers in the Panthers' first two preseason games—both to Armanti Edwards.

And while that stat speaks to Newton's struggles with his accuracy on longer throws, it also reflects the expanded role of tight ends in the passing attack of first-year offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

Chudzinski had a pair of two-year stints as the tight ends coach in San Diego, where tight end Antonio Gates was the Chargers' leading receiver for six consecutive seasons (2004-09). And while Panthers new tight end Greg Olsen might not be in the same class as Gates, don't be surprised if the former Bear puts up big numbers under Chudzinski, his coach for a year at the University of Miami.

Olsen is big (6-5, 255 pounds) and fast and has good hands. He has caught five passes for 77 yards and a touchdown in the first two exhibitions, and has quickly gained the confidence of Newton as a safety valve for the No. 1 overall pick.

Olsen was not being used much by coordinator Mike Martz in Chicago, which traded him to Carolina last month for a third-round pick. By the end of Olsen's first year in Charlotte, that deal could look like a steal for the Panthers.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sportingnews.com)

Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer believes Greg Olsen could challenge Steve Smith for the team lead in receptions.
Olsen is the Panthers' No. 2 receiver based on talent and scheme. In coordinator Rob Chudzinski's system, tight ends are featured heavily in the passing game. Olsen already has five catches during limited playing time in two preseason games and is a good bet to reach 60 receptions this year. Olsen is offering good fantasy value.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

After trading tight end Greg Olsen to the Panthers, Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo said that Olsen “came at me hard” and asked to be traded to a team that has a more tight end-friendly offense.

Olsen says that’s false.

“I’m the last one to go to the media and make big spectacles, but sometimes when things aren’t right, it’s hard to keep your mouth shut,” Olsen told the Chicago Tribune. “[Angelo] put the perception out that I forced my way out of there, which wasn’t true at all.

According to Olsen, Angelo is spreading the perception that Olsen demanded a trade because Angelo wants to avoid criticism for the decision.
“I never asked for a trade,” Olsen said. “If he had said, ‘We are going to try to get rid of you,’ I would have said, ‘That’s fine.’ I did not go in his office and ask for a trade. I think a little bit of that is him trying to make it look like I tried to force my way out because they took so much heat about it. It’s just not true.”

Still, Olsen says he’s happier in a Carolina offense that will see him playing to his strengths, rather than the Mike Martz offense that doesn’t get the tight end involved in the passing game.

“There’s no question I wasn’t happy catching only 40 passes after the previous two years,” Olsen said. “It was pretty clear when Mike was hired it was going to be a different role. But I embraced that and was the bigger man. I tried to do the best I could and think I played well.”

And Olsen says he would have been willing to keep playing well in Chicago, and it was Angelo’s decision to send him elsewhere.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(profootballtalk.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jimmy Clausen and Cam Newton shared a common denominator on their biggest throws in the Panthers' first exhibition: tight end Greg Olsen was on the receiving end of both.

Olsen, who came to the Panthers last month in a trade with Chicago, pulled down three passes for 58 yards and a touchdown Saturday in Carolina's 20-10 win against the New York Giants.

The Panthers hope Olsen's performance was a preview of what is to come this fall in the first season of Extreme Makeover, Tight End Edition.
At his introductory news conference in January, first-year coach Ron Rivera identified the tight end spot as an area that needed to be addressed. The Panthers signed free agents Jeremy Shockey and Ben Hartsock, and gave up a third-round pick for Olsen, who had two big years in Chicago before seeing his role diminish when Mike Martz took over as the Bears' offensive coordinator in 2010.

Olsen seems thrilled to have landed in Charlotte, where the tight end figures prominently in offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's offense.
Chudzinski came with Rivera from San Diego, where he worked with Antonio Gates, the Chargers' Pro Bowl tight end.

"I think it's a great fit. From the leadership of coach Rivera all the way down to the veterans that they had coming back and the new guys that they added, I feel like they have a really good group here," Olsen said after Saturday's game. "I've been around some good teams and I think that this group has something special and has something going forward."

Gary Barnidge is the only holdover among the six tight ends on the roster. Barnidge, a proven blocker who did not catch a pass in 2010, had two receptions for 25 yards against the Giants.

With Shockey not seeing much action, Olsen and Barnidge were targeted four times each-more than any of the Panthers' receivers.

"I was really pleased with their play as a unit. I thought they did some really good things," Rivera said. "I thought their route running was well. They caught the ball well when they had opportunities. They ran well with the ball and protected it."

"We have four guys who can really handle the position for us," Rivera added. "We are pretty excited about that group."

Rivera said last week the Panthers could potentially keep four tight ends on the roster. Olsen and Shockey, in particular, will be good safety valves for the team's young quarterbacks.

Newton said his safe, 10-yard completion to Olsen on his first play Saturday helped settle his nerves and get him into the flow of the game. Newton threw a 30-yard laser to Olsen later on the same drive to help set up the first of Olindo Mare's two field goals.

Olsen was careful not to put too much emphasis on the offensive showing, considering both teams sat their starters for most of the second half. But after failing to score a touchdown in four exhibitions last year, the Panthers will take it.

"You don't want to get too high. You don't want to get too low. But I do think we did a lot of good things that we can build upon and show what the future for this offense could look like," Olsen said. "There's obviously a lot of things we have to fix moving forward. But I feel like it was a good start."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(sunherald.com)

Greg Olsen caught three passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's preseason game against the Giants.
Olsen and fellow tight end Gary Barnidge tied for the team lead with four targets each. We're one game in and already Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski - an ex-tight end at the University of Miami and former tight ends coach of Antonio Gates - has put his stamp on the offense. Olsen's fantasy outlook is trending upwards.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(rotoworld.com)

Shortly after being traded to Carolina, tight end Greg Olsen and the Panthers worked out a four-year contract extension.

We’ve got the complete breakdown here. Olsen was in the last year of his contract when he came from Chicago and was to make $900,000 in base salary. In the new deal, the Panthers knocked that figure down to $700,000. They also gave Olsen a $2.5 million signing bonus and added four years to his contract. His cap figure for this year is $1.2 million. The average per year of the new deal is $5.7 million.

In 2012, Olsen’s base salary jumps to $3 million and that’s guaranteed. Olson also has a $2.5 million option bonus in 2012. In 2013, Olsen’s base salary increases to $3.75 million and he has a $250,000 workout bonus for that offseason.

In 2014 and 2015, Olsen is scheduled to make $5.25 million in base salary each season. He also has a $250,000 workout bonus in each of those years.

Prior to the lockout, the Panthers signed Jeremy Shockey to a one-year deal that's worth $3.8 million. Olsen's new deal shows that the Panthers have a lot more money and time invested in him. Shockey will probably be used as a role player this season, but Olsen will be Carolina's main tight end.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

It's been since Wesley Walls that the Panthers had a good offensive tight end. Now they have two if Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey can stay healthy, which is no gimme. Shockey signed as a free agent; the Panthers dealt a third-round pick to Chicago for former first-rounder Olsen the other day. Saw Shockey in the student union after lunch today, hunkered down with tight end coach Pete Hoener, working on learning the playbook. I like what they've done there.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s or Jeremy Shockey’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cnnsi.com)

BOURBONNAIS -- Stopped at the bank of elevators at a hotel in Indianapolis during the 2010 scouting combine, Jerry Angelo told a Tribune reporter Greg Olsen has not come to the Chicago Bears seeking a trade.

On Sunday night, after he finished hashing through the decision to move on from center Olin Kreutz, Angelo went ahead and admitted that not only did Olsen seek to be traded shortly after Mike Martz was hired as offensive coordinator, he “came at me hard.”

“I understood it,” Angelo said. “I told him I’d think about it. Greg is a great kid, works his tail off. I said, ‘Greg, no, I don’t see that being in our best interest.’ Again, it’s about the team. And I said, that’s going to hurt our football team. I said, ‘You’re going to have to suck it up, just do your job. You’ve got a contract, we’ve paid you well for your services,’ and he is a professional and he took the high road. I respect that.”

But a year later, after further evaluating the situation, the Bears made the decision Olsen was a player they would not invest in for the long haul because he didn’t fit what they wanted to do offensively as more physical tight ends. So, the Bears set out to get value for Olsen while they could, securing a third-round draft pick from the Carolina Panthers.

“This year was different,” Angelo said. “We’re really not looking for Kellen Winslow. We’re looking for Mike Ditka. So, the tight ends we have now really fit more the profile we want for our offense. It’s no more than that. And we got some good compensation. They got a heck of a tight end. (Panthers general manager) Marty Hurney is a good friend of mine and Marty’s just happier than heck to get him. (Rob) Chudzinski, the offensive coordinator, knows Greg. Greg is in a good spot. Hey, we hope he is in the Pro Bowl and he just has a great career. We really wish him the best.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chicagotribune.com)

Watch new Panther tight end Greg Olsen face a football passing machine for five minutes and you realize it's a mismatch. I've seen numerous receivers work with the machines, which fire footballs at you from a distance of 7-10 yards. I've never seen a tight end catch the ball any better than Olsen -- nonchalantly and one-handed with either hand. Talk about a nice safety valve for Jimmy Clausen and Cam Newton -- Olsen is going to make a big impact.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(scottfowlerobs.blogspot.com)

The opening days of the NFL's free agency/trade "season" has led to several brow-raising moves from clubs. Whether it be the Seahawks choosing Tarvaris Jackson over Matt Hasselbeck, the Chargers giving up a Pro Bowl contract to safety Eric Weddle or the release of several starting caliber players by various teams, there have been plenty of surprises already.

One of the more interesting ones happened yesterday when the Chicago Bears traded away former first round pick Greg Olsen to the Carolina Panthers for a third round selection in the 2012 draft.

Olsen, 6-6 and 254 pounds and having been timed at 4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the 2007 Scouting Combine is one of the league's most physically gifted tight ends. His statistics won't show it. After all, he's averaged only 10.2 yards per catch over his career and his "breakout" 2009 season (60 catches for 612 yards and eight TDs) resulted in nearly double the touchdowns as any other season of his career. While only an average blocker, his size, speed and secure hands would have resulted in a Pro Bowl nod or two already had he been in an offense that catered to him.

Now, he's going to one that will.

This trade had everything to do with scheme. The Bears run a multiple-receiver offense under offensive coordinator Mike Martz. It is the same offense that Martz ran to great success in St. Louis (and considerably less so in Detroit). The scheme didn't put Olsen (or any tight end, really) in position to be a significant part of the team's passing attack.

The Carolina Panthers, on the other hand, are incorporating former San Diego Chargers' tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski's offense. Chudzinski, you might recall, had the benefit of working with Antonio Gates, so it is safe to say that he understands the value of a mismatch of an athletic tight end.

But, that isn't the end of the Chudzinski-tight end connection. Prior to his NFL gigs (including being the offensive coordinator under Romeo Crennel with the Cleveland Browns), Chudzinski was the offensive coordinator at the University of Miami where he coached All-Americans Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow II. Chudzinski left Miami the year before Olsen arrived at The U.

Considering their strong running game, deep threat in Steve Smith and young quarterbacks in Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen, the Carolina Panthers appear to be an ideal fit for Olsen. The young passers have been given a Pro Bowl caliber security blanket and the Panthers gave up just a third round pick to get him.

With the exorbitant prices of free agency, player trades being seen this week, Olsen could prove the best value thus far this year.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cbssports.com)

Greg Olsen just wanted some clarity, to know where he stood with the Bears.

The 31st pick in the 2007 NFL draft, he had improved his catches, yards and touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, and some projected him as a breakout player in 2010.

Many speculated Olsen wouldn’t be an ideal fit under new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who traditionally hadn’t used a tight end much. But everyone played nice through a 2010 season in which the Bears won the NFC North and reached the conference title game, even though Olsen’s production dipped across the board.

Heading into the final year of his rookie deal and slated to make $900,000, Olsen needed to feel good about his future.

On Tuesday, Bears officials told his agent Drew Rosenhaus that they needed a couple of days — based on all the chaos of this shortened offseason — before they could discuss a possible extension. Then, on Wednesday night, they informed Rosenhaus they were looking to trade Olsen.

On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers traded a third-round pick in the 2012 draft to the Bears for Olsen, then agreed to terms with the tight end on a four-year extension worth about $24 million, including $10.5  million guaranteed. The Bears also released Brandon Manumaleuna, whom they signed just last offseason to a three-year, $15 million contract, and signed Matt Spaeth from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kellen Davis is the only 2010 holdover at tight end.

Olsen has been stunned by it all.

‘‘It was not something that I expected,’’ he told the Sun-Times. ‘‘Then things transpired really fast. But, in the end, I think I’m going to a good place. There’s no doubt I’m going to miss my teammates, and the city of Chicago has been awesome to me and my family.

‘‘But, the business side of it, this was something that — I guess — was in the Bears’ best interests, and then once we started down that road, there was no turning back.’’

Could he have played another down for the Bears if they hadn’t found a suitable trade partner?

‘‘We went through all that stuff last year, and I was able to put it behind me and move forward,’’ he said. ‘‘Last year wasn’t as serious. But this year was more open and official, that this is what they wanted to do. It would be hard knowing that a team didn’t want you two times, then playing through it again.’’

Olsen admitted his reduced role and opportunities last season bothered him.

‘‘There’s no worse feeling then not being able to play up to your potential,’’ he said. ‘‘Last year, I felt like that was the case.’’

Still, Olsen said he’ll be grateful for his time with the Bears.

‘‘I always had a tremendous amount of respect for [coach] Lovie [Smith] and the Bears for selecting me with their first pick [in 2007],” he said.
Olsen said he fit into the offense, and he embraced Martz’s push for him to become a better blocker. And while he got chances to make plays, ‘‘there were weeks on end where I did nothing. I can’t say I never had a role, but it wasn’t consistent.’’

But Olsen is thrilled to be headed to Carolina, where he’ll reunite with former Miami teammate Jon Beason and former Miami offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

‘‘To get back with Coach Chud, and what he’s done in the past, with tight ends, is going to be huge for my development,’’ Olsen said, ‘‘and I’m looking forward to it.’’

Chudzinski coached two of the game’s most talented tight ends, Kellen Winslow and Antonio Gates.

Asked about his role, Olsen said, ‘‘It’s hard to say. But his track record of using guys is pretty clear, and that’s encouraging. Now it falls on my shoulders on how I perform. To be honest, I think it’s a way to finally get out of the restraints of what our system was.’’

Still, he’ll never forget the last two days, when he was holed up in a dorm room at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, waiting to hear about his future.

‘‘It was weird, because you’re sitting around your dorm, with nothing to do,” he said. “But I’m glad I can move on and go forward.’’

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

The Bears had a deal in place to trade Greg Olsen during the second round of the 2010 draft that didn't materialize when the Patriots drafted their own tight end.

Now, two nights before the beginning of training camp, the team may be considering trading Olsen again.

His agent Drew Rosenhaus sent a mass email to the league's general managers and personnel people at 7:56 p.m. Wednesday night announcing the Bears were making Olsen available for trade. The email went to scores of people, including Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and contract negotiator Cliff Stein.

"The Bears have granted me permission to seek a trade for Greg Olsen," Rosenhaus wrote. "Please let me know if interested. Sounds like the Bears will be very reasonable on the compensation in return for Greg."

But 11 minutes later, Rosenhaus sent another mass email to the same recipients, including Angelo and Stein, asking them to ignore his previous message.

"Please disregard my previous email regarding Greg Olsen," the one-sentence email said.

What does it mean? Clearly Rosenhaus had permission to shop Olsen or believed he had permission to shop him. One personnel executive who received the email speculated the Bears saw how fast and wide the message was sent and asked Rosenhaus to pull back.

Questions surrounded how Olsen would fit in the offense last season as coordinator Mike Martz has a history of not utilizing tight ends in the passing game. Olsen went to the front office and shared those concerns. There were rumors he would be traded before the draft and the deal with the Patriots nearly happened, according to a Bears source, before they selected Rob Gronkowski 42nd overall.

Olsen had 41 receptions for 404 yards last season and five scores, tying him for the most touchdown receptions on the team. The Bears have two other veteran tight ends on the roster in Brandon Manumaleuna and Kellen Davis.

Olsen, the club's first-round draft pick in 2007, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will be looking for an extension or an opportunity to play elsewhere.

He was very professional about the situation last season and has developed into a leader in the locker room while being a durable performer on the field. He said the trade talk did not get to him.

"You mean the story that was made up?" Olsen told the Tribune before the start of last season. "It doesn't bother me because I know there is no truth behind it. But it does bother me that people take the liberty to just make up stories for their own personal benefit.

"There was no substance behind it. If there was, tell us. It's easy to say an unnamed source. That could be anybody."

His agent's fingerprints are on the story now.


(chicagotribune.com)

 

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.

Greg Olsen said the workouts have helped the offensive players with their timing as they prepare for Year 2 in offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system.

"It's a little unfortunate because in normal years we would have gotten a lot of work between all the OTAs, all the minicamps, just the regular days out on the field," Olsen said. "We would have gotten a lot accomplished and learned a lot from last season, but we didn't so that's the hand we were dealt, and we have to play a little catchup as far as with the coaches once training camp opens. But as players there is a lot we can do to prepare for the season."

After an inconsistent first season in Martz's complicated system, Olsen believes the Bears are poised for a breakout season from the offense.

"For awhile here we've been the stepchild," Olsen said. "The offense has always played second fiddle, deservingly so because we've had some of the top defenses and top defensive players in league history. But we feel like we have a good core nucleus of young offensive players and Jay being right up there as the guy. With Matt [Forte] and our receivers, Earl [Bennett], Johnny [Knox] and Devin [Hester], I think we've got a lot of guys who are ready to have a little bit of consistency."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

No player had more speculation surrounding their concern over the arrival of Mike Martz than Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen had last off-season.  The free agent signing of blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna added even more fuel to the fire.  Whether it was rumors of Olsen's displeasure over his expected diminished role or trade rumors, the attention surrounding the Greg Olsen - Mike Martz "issue" became an important story to watch during the 2010 season.

This morning on the Mully & Hanely show, Greg Olsen talked about how he embraced his new role in the Martz offense in 2010:

"There's a lot of other ways that you can impact the game rather than just catching the ball. I think last year really made that a lot more evident to me than I experienced early on in my career because catching the ball really was my role on the offense. Last year there were some other things that were maybe even more important or just as important as being out there to catch the ball. I did embrace that."

"I think I got better as a football player last year. Granted my catches and stuff went down, but I honestly can say I think I got better and there's a reason for that. Between the coaches and the off-season work that we were able to do, and as you continue to grow and mature as a player, each year you should get better. I anticipate doing the same thing this year."

Being that I have been critical of Greg Olsen's play in the past, I had my doubts as to how Olsen would fit into Martz' system.  As such, I took great interest in following the play of Greg Olsen last season.  I'll say this now as I said throughout multiple games last season, watching Greg Olsen's performance was one of the great surprises and stories that I will remember from the 2010 Chicago Bears season.

While there were occurrences of whiffed blocks in the backfield and miscommunication at times, I can also vividly recall several instances while reviewing the games where I would be pleasantly surprised and literally marvel out loud at the visible progress of Greg Olsen's play.  Along with the occasional growing-pain plays, you would see flashes of growth and progress towards him becoming a more complete tight end.  Whether it was seeing extra effort on downfield blocks, or doing whatever it took to seal a block including a couple of infamous "booty" blocks, Greg Olsen's growth in 2010 impressed me and made me more of a fan of him than I have ever been.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(chicagonow.com)

Congratulations to Greg Olsen and his wife on the birth of their son, Tate.




Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.


(nbcchicago.com)

When I spoke to him eight days ago, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler indicated that the offense would have some workouts, but he didn't offer much insight on them.

Players have been largely mum on the topic, but Bears tight end Greg Olsen offered some insight to me Sunday during the First Responders Bowl at St. Rita's High School, where he served as an honorary captain.

"It's been great," Olsen said. "You can train and do all your drills. But you can't substitute actually getting out there and running around and catching the ball."

Cutler and veteran backup Caleb Hanie was joined for three workouts by Bears receivers, tight ends and running backs. It's not entirely clear who showed up and who didn't but attendance was apparently pretty solid.

"We kind of said, 'If you want to be here, you'll make a way to be here, if it's important enough to you,' " Olsen said. "We had such a great turnout, and we have such a good group of guys.

"We don't have to beg anyone to come."

Olsen said it was helpful to get everyone together but he also didn't overplay what took place.

"It was a good start, but it wasn't anything major, and we didn't break any records," he said. "We'll correspond again, and come up with a string of days that works again."

Olsen said he and his teammates aren't worried about how little or much any other clubs are doing. The New Orleans Saints, for instance, reportedly hold workouts for 35 plus players, four times a week.

"Everyone has their own way of doing it. Everyone has a way that works. I'm sure the Saints feel great about the way they're doing it," Olsen said. "But we feel the way we're doing it is best for us."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(suntimes.com)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- To understand Kevin Olsen, the rising junior quarterback from Wayne Hills, N.J., who's already drawing scholarship offers from the likes of Florida State, know this: Football surrounds him.

It has since before Olsen can remember. The game is in his blood.

Olsen's brothers, Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen and former Virginia quarterback Chris Olsen, delivered Kevin a crash course in football. The kid went everywhere with them, from recruiting visits to college games and NFL workouts.

"He didn't miss much," said their mother, Sue Olsen.

By age 6, Kevin was diving over couches in the office of Greg Schiano, who began recruiting Kevin's brothers even before the Rutgers coach could unpack his boxes after arriving nearly 10 years ago.

Fitting, then, that Olsen staged the latest act of his ascension to prominence Sunday at Rutgers Stadium, shining at the Nike Football Training Camp. Rules prohibit Schiano and other coaches from watching such events; rest assured, though, they know plenty about Olsen.

The 6-foot-3, 196-pound quarterback operated efficiently. He stood out in drills that included Rutgers pledge Blake Rankin of Bloomsburg, Pa., and Olsen plays with a smoothness that figures to place him near the top of all quarterbacks in the class of 2013.

And no one, especially not his father, appears surprised.

The elder Chris Olsen, a high school coach in New Jersey for 36 years, has spent the past quarter century at perennial North Jersey power Wayne Hills, coaching all three of his sons. Kevin is living up to the legacy of brothers Greg, one of the nation's top recruits in 2003, and Chris, heralded as a quarterback one year prior.

"When I was little," Kevin said, "they were everything. I still look up to them."

Chris and Greg signed with Notre Dame, but Chris left the school for Virginia after one season, and Greg transferred to Miami before ever suiting up with the Fighting Irish.

It just wasn't the right fit, according to Chris. The experience left Chris with a unique perspective from which to offer recruiting advice to his brother.

"Don't get wrapped up in the name," he said. "Don't get wrapped in Southern Cal or Ohio State. Get wrapped up in a school where you think the offense fits you and where the coaches actually want you -- where you're not just a number."

Kevin said he leans on Greg, the Bears' first-round draft pick in 2007, and Chris for advice on a variety of football-related topics. Greg provides suggestions on his diet and training. Chris covers the technical aspects of playing quarterback.

As a sophomore in his first season as the starting quarterback, Kevin directed Wayne Hills to a second straight state championship. He completed 103 of 171 passes for 1,484 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Was it surprising that he could fare so well immediately?

"No, because it's Kevin," Wayne Hills lineman Joey Lane said. "You don't get a lot of guys like Kevin Olsen. Most guys need time to learn. Kevin came right in, knew everything and just did it."

Age and experience hardly apply with Kevin. It's more about instincts, his father said.

"He understands the game well," the coach said. "A lot of kids play the position of quarterback. Kevin is a quarterback."

In addition to Florida State, East Carolina and Central Florida told Kevin he's earned a scholarship. Others are sure to follow. Although Kevin says he's not ready to dive full time into recruiting, he has prepared for this for a decade. Kevin spent time in the locker rooms at Virginia around the likes of Heath Miller and Chris Long during his brother's time in Charlottesville.

"The list goes on and on at Miami," brother Chris said. "He's always learned if he acts their age, they'll respect him. I think he's done a great job of that. He's had a chance to meet a lot of people that 16-year-olds just don't get to meet. He's never been awestruck.

"He's always tried to be confident and mature and say to himself, 'Hey, listen, I can be just like these guys.'"

In Chicago, where both of Kevin's brothers live, the family developed a friendship with Bears QB Jay Cutler, who befriended Kevin. Occasionally, they'll talk before a weekend of big games for both quarterbacks.

So, you see, Kevin is playing with the deck stacked in his favor. Of course, it takes more than a good hand to succeed as an elite quarterback.
"He had to take advantage of it," Chris said. "A lot of kids would just like to stay in and play video games. But he was always with us when he went on spring break, working on football. Anybody who's been around him can see that he's very mature.

"He takes coaching. He doesn't whine or pout or talk back. He grew up in a household where none of that stuff mattered."

Kevin said he's far from a finished product. His footwork, in particular, needs improvement, he said. The day before he attended the NFTC at Rutgers, Kevin attended the Elite 11 regional camp at Penn State.

Expectations for Kevin at Wayne Hills, considering the school's tradition and his early success, figure to skyrocket over the next two years. But there's no reason to worry. He's ready for it.

"I've been around a lot of good players," Chris said, "and I've never really seen anything like him as a 16-year-old sophomore. He doesn't think of it as pressure. At the end of the day, he doesn't think about it at all. He just goes out and does what comes naturally to him.

"It's what makes Kevin who he is."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

With the NFL lockout lifted for now, some Bears players are making an effort to get back to work. Tight end Greg Olsen, kicker Robbie Gould and running back Kahlil Bell were among the players who arrived at Halas Hall on Thursday morning.

However, the players were unable to work out, with the weight room being off-limits while the Bears prepared for Thursday night’s draft.

Bell, who stayed at the facility for about 15 minutes, said the Bears told him he wasn't locked out but that the weight room was closed and no one could work out. He chatted with Olsen briefly.

"Pretty much all you could do is walk in, walk around, and walk out," Bell said. "I didn't see any of the coaches. Just the training staff and the strength coach."

Bell, who has yet to sign his one-year tender as an exclusive rights free agent, said he received an e-mail from Gould encouraging all the players to start working out together, with the lockout lifted. After being denied at Halas Hall, Bell said he planned to return to a fitness facility he has been using in Vernon Hills.

"I mean, it's been a long time, and we've never spent this much time apart," Bell said of not being able to work out with his teammates. "I was figuring everything would be cool. But I guess that's not happening."

Afterward, Gould wrote on his Twitter account: "Went to workout facility locker room and weight room closed."

Olsen tweeted on his account: "If the roles were reversed in labor dispute on eve of training camp and a player didn't show up to camp would he be fined?"

Olsen is one of the players hoping to secure a long-term deal this offseason, and the Bears would like to keep the talented tight end in the fold.

"I know there’s a lot that goes into (an extension), with the situation with the labor agreement or what not,’’ Olsen told the Tribune in March. "I would love to have that security and be here for a long time. There are a lot of things right now kind of out of all of our hands. We’ve got to let it play out. Once we get all this situated and get to free agency and all of that out of the way, we’ll see what happens.’’

Defensive tackle Matt Toeaina and offensive lineman Johan Asiata also showed up at Halas on Thursday morning. Gould and defensive end Israel Idonije came to Halas on Tuesday after the lockout was first lifted by Judge Susan Nelson.

Some are proceeding under the assumption that the league year has begun, as ordered by the judge, but with the NFL going to appeals court to seek a reversal, teams are awaiting guidance fom the league.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagobreakingsport.com)

Greg Olsen says reports of him getting kicked off of a high school football field have been "blown way out of proportion."

After saying in a radio interview that the high school he worked out at "a bunch of times" in Lincolnshire, Ill. kicked him out and wouldn't return his phone calls, Olsen attempted to clear things up on Twitter. "Left when asked and called school," he said. "Also have been to the school to speak to various classes and groups with no issue since (I) moved (into the) district." Hopefully, you can now rest easy at night.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(nbcsports.com)

Being locked out by the NFL is one thing, but Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen had to deal with another rejection recently when he was kicked off a high school field while trying to work out.

"The other day I got kicked off a high school field trying to go out and do some field work, so it's not easy," Olsen said Thursday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "You have to find your spots and find someone that will let you use their field.

"[Players] already have done some research on some different places, and maybe as it gets a little closer [to training camp] if it looks like that's what we're going to have to do not being able to go over to Halas, then we'll have to continue to look at different opportunities."

One of those places is not likely to be Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill.

"I live right down the street from Stevenson," Olsen said. "The other day I went out there, done it a bunch of times, and all of a sudden they kicked me off. I tried calling everyone over there to see if I could, and no one would call me back."

Stevenson public information coordinator Jim Conrey said it's school policy not to allow the general public on the facilities during school hours.
"Here's my understanding -- I believe he showed up unannounced during the school day and tried to go out on the field while we were trying to have phys ed classes," Conrey said. "One of the phys ed teachers asked him not to go out on the field."

Conrey said Olsen "challenged" the decision.

"If he wants to give us a call and work something out, we'll see if we can accommodate him," Conrey said. "We understand he's in a tough situation with the lockout. We can't have the general public showing up and disrupting classes. Mr. Olsen said he was a resident of our district, and I'll have him on his word."

Conrey also said there are liability issues.

"Another issue is if we have the general public showing up unannounced and they get injured, we're responsible for that," he said. "If Mr. Olsen started to run sprints and blew out his knee, we're responsible. With his situation as a pro athlete, that could be a huge cost. You can't just show up announced. We'd be happy to work something out. We'd try to accommodate him."

Olsen said Bears players will monitor progress with the lockout in the next few weeks before deciding where to work out on their own.

"We're going to see how this last-ditch effort goes [to resolve the lockout]," Olsen said. "If the lockout seems like it's going to go much longer, we'll organize something up here and get everybody back together. We're going to let these next couple weeks play out and get a feel for how long things are going to go. If it doesn't look like there's a light at the end of the tunnel then we'll just take it upon ourselves to do it.

"We've had to do our research [on where to work out]. Preferably, we'd like to do it outside, especially as the weather starts turning. That's ideal."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

To read our rankings of players 25-16, click here.

15. Jon Vilma MLB New Orleans Saints: Vilma was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a solid 2010 season where he posted over 100 tackles for the third consecutive season and a career high four sacks. Though Vilma did post the fewest tackles of his seven-year career (105), besides his 2007 season where he only played in seven games, the Saints’ defense was riddled with injuries in 2010, and Vilma did not miss a game and anchored the defense. Look for Vilma to continue to be the quarterback of the Saints defense in 2011 and as that defense gets healthier and gains more experience, Vilma will continue to flourish.

14. Greg Olsen TE Chicago Bears: Coming into the 2010 season there were fears that Olsen would not be utilized in Mike Martz’s wide open offense and the Bears actually almost traded Olsen before the start of the 2010 season despite public comments by Head Coach Lovie Smith and Martz that Olsen would be used in the spread offense. Olsen statistically didn’t have a bad season as he posted 41 receptions for 404 yards, the lowest since his rookie season, but more concerning was the fact that in seven games Olsen had either only reception (5 games) or no receptions (2 games). Olsen had his best game of the season in the first round of the playoffs versus the Seahawks where he posted 113 yards receiving, 58 of those coming on one play, but it showed that he could be a threat in that offense if correctly utilized. With one season under his belt it will be interesting to see if Martz can figure out a way to incorporate or Olsen, though the trade rumors continue to persist.

13. Javarris James RB Indianpolis Colts: James was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts right after last year’s draft and by the time Week 5 rolled around he was signed to the Colts’ active roster. James had previously been on the Patriots and Redskins practice squads. Though James did not put up huge numbers, 112 yards rushing on 42 carries, the fact that he made the active roster of the Colts and scored six TDs last season, more than any other proCane runningback, merits him being ranked as a top 15 proCane performer for 2010. James will have an uphill battle to earn a roster spot on the Colts next season as he was inactive for the last two games of the regular season and playoff game, but he very well may be signed by another team due to his tough redzone running.

12. Jon Beason LB Carolina Panthers: Beason had started at MLB for the Panthers the last 3 seasons and coming into 2010 put the team first and agreed to start at the RLB spot. Beason who has yet to miss a game in his four-year career took some time to get acclimated to his new position and was not having as large of an impact defensively for the Panthers. In Week 10, Beason moved back to the middle and 2 weeks later made his presence felt with an interception versus the Cleveland Browns. Beason is too good to not be the starting MLB and it seems like the Panthers have realized that, and he should resume his duties in the middle of the defense in 2011.

11. Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winslow finished the 2010 by playing all 16 games for the second consecutive season and though his numbers weren’t as good as his 2009 numbers, his first season in Tampa, Winslow was still a threat down the middle of the field for the Bucs. Winslow had a career high 5 TDs to go along with his 730 yards receiving and as the season progressed became a more consistent option for Tampa QB Josh Freeman culminating in a 7 reception for 98 yards and 2 TDs performance in Week 15. Winslow has already said he expects big numbers in 2011, and though at times he was not able to practice due to injury, he didn’t miss a game and played with his usual fire all season long.

10. Antonio Dixon DL Philadelphia Eagles: Dixon was a surprise contributor to the Eagles’ defensive line in 2009 as an undrafted rookie free agent signing. He suited up for 16 games and became a vital cog in the Eagles’ defensive line versus the run that year. In 2010, due to injury Dixon received extensive playing time in Week 5 versus the 49ers where he recorded his first sack of the season and ended up starting the rest of the way for Eagles totaling 30 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections. Dixon has been a very pleasant surprise for the Eagles and a great personal story as well, overcoming learning disabilities and controlling his weight. Look for Dixon to start for the Eagles next season and continue to excel versus the run and improve his game on passing downs.

9. DJ Williams LB Denver Broncos: Playing in the 3-4 for his second consecutive season DJ Williams looked even more comfortable totaling 119 tackles. Williams also became much more involved in the passing game as he had a career high 9 pass deflections and more impressively 5.5 sacks. The Broncos began to blitz Williams more in passing situations and as a result he led the Broncos in sacks last season as well as tackles by a wide margin. The only knock on Williams is his off the field problems where he was accused of a DUI for the second time in his career and lost his captaincy as a result as well as his driver’s license for a year. Rumors have circulated that Williams is on the trading block but if he isn’t traded he will have to get used to playing in the 4-3 defense at the weak-side linebacker spot as the Broncos are changing their defense, again.


Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 8th through 1st!

NFL players and coaches aren’t allowed to have any contact during the lockout, which created an awkward situation when Bears coach Lovie Smith and tight end Greg Olsen both agreed to serve as judges at the McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk contest at Chicago State University.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Smith didn’t say a word to Olsen during the event and barely looked Olsen’s way the entire time.

Smith told the Tribune he could say hi to Olsen and nothing else.

“You want to talk, but you know what it is,” Smith said of the policy against coach-player contact during the lockout. “Greg knows what it is, and I know what it is. . . . We both understand the landscape of what’s going on right now. We just hope that, eventually, we’ll be able to do a lot more than just see each other.”

Smith said he would have liked to ask Olsen if he’s staying in shape, but he knows that’s not allowed. So he’s just going to hope that whenever the lockout ends and players are back in Chicago, they’re ready to go.

“I’m assuming right now, guys are doing what they normally do,” Smith said. “It’s not like we’re talking about of bunch of junior high and Pop Warner kids. These are professionals. They work out. Players just don’t work out because coaches tell them. They take this seriously, so I assume they all are working out, like they normally do.”

But when Smith sees those players out and about, it’s anything but normal.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

While most of the world slept this morning, a large contingent of NFL players was up working out to get ready for a season they aren’t exactly sure will come.

Perhaps the biggest contingent of players was at BPS in Miami — Bommarito Performance Systems.  Chad Ochocinco and Jon Beason are in the 6 a.m. ET workout group, but Ocho stuck around to lovingly take pictures with the 8 a.m. group once they were done.

Among those in attendance: Patriots receiver Wes Welker, free agent running back Fred Taylor, Bears running back Matt Forte, Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch, Giants safety Kenny Phillips,  Ravens cornerback LarDarius Webb, Bears tight end Greg Olsen, Panthers defensive linemen Everett Brown and Charles Johnson, Ravens wideout Donte Stallworth, Browns receiver Mohommad Massaquoi, and probably many more we’re missing.

At a time when fan anger is pretty high, it’s worth remembering the majority of players are preparing for the season like they always would anyway.

Expect, well, they are doing it on their own.

Click here to order Jon Beason’s or Greg Olsen’s or Kenny Phillips’ proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

In January, Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz lamented tight end Greg Olsen's statistics in the passing game "are not what they could, and probably should be."

Last week, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo suggested Olsen will have a "more prominent" role in Martz's offense next season.

"I thought he did a lot of good things, last year. But I think you'll see a lot more things, more consistently, because of the familiarity that our coaches have with him," Angelo said.

Angelo noted how many wondered about Olsen's role in Martz's offense, which previously hadn't highlighted a tight end. While his numbers dropped from 2009, Olsen came up with big plays and stretched opposing defenses.

"We felt good, because of the fact that we know the person, we know how important football is [to him], and he's got talent, and any good coach or system I've been around always finds a way to accentuate to the best players, and I felt we did that," Angelo said. "I expect him to make a big jump as well, next year. No reason to believe he won't."

Both he and Bears coach Lovie Smith said Olsen improved as a blocker in 2010. But Smith said there "only so many balls," with other talented skill players like running back Matt Forte and receivers Johnny Knox and Devin Hester.

But that's not all; Smith also mentioned backup tight end Kellen Davis.

"[Olsen] was just a great team player in his role, and just like I said with other guys, we're going to try to find ways to keep them all involved. I was pleased with what Kellen Davis was able to do," Smith said. "You could make a case for Kellen getting more plays, being more involved also.

He's everything you're looking for in a tight end. We just have to keep the progress going. The second year in the system, we know the guys a lot better."

It will be interesting to see what the Bears do with Olsen. He enters the final year of his rookie deal, which is set to pay him a base salary of $900,000, about $500,000 less than Brandon Manumaleuna, a blocking tight end signed last offseason.

Smith, though, shed some light on what a tight end will not do in the Bears offense.

"I guess you look at the numbers and they want the tight end to catch 100 balls," Smith said of the team's offense under Martz. "We have too many options on the offensive sides of the ball for our tight ends to have those kinds of numbers. But you can still be a big part of the offense, which Greg and Kellen are."

Carrying both Davis and Olsen in 2011 isn't an issue. But, the team will likely have to make some hard choices sooner than later. The Bears have invested heavily in quarterback Jay Cutler and Hester, and Olsen and Forte are entering the final year of their respective deals.

Without an extension, if he makes that "big jump" in 2011, than Olsen's price tag will be even higher next offseason. The Bears, of course, could franchise him, if they can't agree to a long-term deal; Marcedes Lewis of the Jacksonville Jaguars signed his franchise tender that was worth $7.3 million earlier this month.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(suntimes.com)

During the NFL owners’ meetings, Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo implied that tight end Greg Olsen would be one of the young guys in line for a contract extension.

Angelo noted, however, that it depended on whether there’s enough money to go around once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

Olsen, whose contract is up after the 2011 season, has no desire to go elsewhere despite what people continue to say about his role in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s scheme. This past season, Olsen finished fourth on the team in receptions with 41 and tied Johnny Knox for the team lead with five touchdown catches. And Martz envisions a bigger role for Olsen moving forward.

"I’ve said, since the day I got here, that I’m very happy here," Olsen said. "I’m very happy here. I feel like I’ve had a good four years and have really enjoyed my time.

"I know there’s a lot that goes into (an extension), with the situation with the labor agreement or what not. I would love to have that security and be here for a long time. There are a lot of things right now kind of out of all of our hands. We’ve got to let it play out. Once we get all this situated and get to free agency and all of that out of the way, we’ll see what happens."

Until then, Olsen plans to follow his normal offseason of working out at Bommarito Performance System in south Florida alongside teammate Matt Forte. But Olsen is willing to alter his schedule if the Bears are able to organize workouts, as Rashied Davis is attempting to do. Last season, the Bears began their voluntary workouts one year ago Tuesday.

"We’ll see what they put together," Olsen said of Davis’ plan. "Right now, I’m just kind of doing stuff on my own, like I do every year; pretty much the same program. But, yeah, if guys get together and do routes and stuff … you just have to be careful.  There’s a lot that goes into it vs. what there’s been in past years where you had some protection.

"But I think it’s important that the guys are around each other building that timing. Depending how long this goes and it gets all the way to training camp then you have a lot of catching up to do. It’s still early. We’ll see how the offseason plays out."

Olsen has touched base with Jay Cutler, who has been MIA since exiting the NFC Championship game with a second-degree knee sprain.

"Jay’s doing good," Olsen said. "Same offseason for him. I know he’s excited to get back to work."

Until Olsen is able to reconnect with Cutler, he’ll have to settle for having another NFC North signal-caller to toss him some passes.

"The one guy we have down in (Florida) is Drew Stanton," Olsen said, referring to the Lions’ third-stringer. "He’s our designated quarterback."

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagobreakingsports.com)

Bears GM Jerry Angelo claims that Greg Olsen's role in the offense will grow in his second season under OC Mike Martz.

"He'll be more prominent this year ... because of the familiarity that our coaches have with him," said Angelo. We could see Angelo's contention if there was evidence Olsen's role grew as last season wore on, but there isn't. Olsen finished 21st in the league in tight end targets, behind the likes of Kevin Boss, Tony Scheffler, Tony Moeaki, and Jermaine Gresham.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

Chicago Bears TE Greg Olsen is a player who could be on the trade market this offseason, according to CBSSports.com. Olsen, who has one year left on his rookie deal, made 19 fewer catches for 208 fewer yards and three fewer TDs than in 2009.


Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(kffl.com)

One of the big questions for the Chicago Bears when Mike Martz was hired as offensive coordinator was what would become of the tight ends?

General manager Jerry Angelo had invested a 2007 first-round draft pick in Greg Olsen, who seemed to be coming into his own as a receiving tight end. But Olsen wanted to know where he stood and met with management shortly after Martz's hiring to express concern about his role moving forward.

Olsen wanted out and the Bears actively worked to trade him, believing they had a deal in the works with the New England Patriots during the second day of the draft involving a second-round pick. That didn't materialize and Olsen and Martz remained together to make the best of the situation.

That is what they did for the most part, but consider Olsen had 41 receptions, only three more than Ernie Conwell had playing for Martz in 2001 with the St. Louis Rams. While Conwell was a fine player, he didn't possess nearly the same skills as a receiver that Olsen does, and that illustrates one of the ways the offense was dysfunctional in 2010. Olsen was used, but statistics indicate he wasn't used well enough. Olsen was on the field for 82.1 percent of the offensive snaps, nearly identical to the 84.1 percent he had in 2009 under Ron Turner.

The Bears simply didn't get the ball to Olsen enough. Whether it was a function of him having to play different roles, like lining up in the backfield, is hard to say. The use of the tight end actually went up in 2010 when you consider the four tight ends combined for 1,522 snaps. That is 85 more than they had under Turner. As mentioned in a previous post, the tight ends picked up many of the 359 snaps fullback Jason McKie had in 2009. The Bears also had 24 fewer offensive snaps in 2010 than in the previous year.

Here is how the playing time broke down for the tight ends last season:

Greg Olsen:  805 snaps, 82.1 percent
Brandon Manumaleuna:  553, 56.4 percent
Kellen Davis: 148, 15.1 percent
Desmond Clark:  16, 1.6

Manumaleuna got about the playing time that was expected after being a significant free-agent addition. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last month and is expected to be fully healthy before the summer. His role doesn't figure to change much moving forward, but the team has been complimentary of Kellen Davis and his playing time could increase after dipping from 22.6 percent in 2009. He's becoming more well rounded and could be in line for more action.

Clark will be an unrestricted free agent and is not expected to return. He was used sparingly and wound up being inactive for 11 games. The veteran handled his demotion with class.

The biggest question moving forward remains whether Olsen can carve out a bigger niche for himself in the passing game as he heads into a contract year. He could make himself attractive in free agency with a big season, and it's unknown whether the Bears will want to approach him early. The two sides might have different views on his value, especially after the team came close to trading him.

We've already posted playing-time breakdowns on the defensive line, wide receiver, linebacker, cornerback and running back positions. Check back throughout the day as we analyze playing time at every position.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagobreakingsports.com)

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Known primarily for his pass-catching skills prior to the 2010 season, Bears tight end Greg Olsen excelled in an expanded role that included more blocking assignments.

“I was very pleased with how he played,” said tight ends coach Mike DeBord. “He really improved his blocking. We asked him to play multiple positions—wide receiver, tight end, fullback—and he did it all.”

DeBord was impressed with how determined Olsen was to improve as a blocker.

“He was very committed from Day 1 with it,” DeBord said. “I think he heard people talking about it and he wanted to prove a point, and in my opinion he proved it. 

"There are still little things he can continue to get better at and he will get better at. But I was really pleased with the improvement he made.”

Olsen had 41 receptions for 404 yards and tied for the Bears lead with five touchdown catches. He also showed his versatility by throwing key blocks in pass protection and on running plays.

“I take a tremendous amount of pride in it, the challenge throughout the course of the week of absorbing it and getting all the information and learning what our responsibilities are,” Olsen said during the season. “It’s a fun challenge.”

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz is aware that Olsen made sacrifices throughout the season.

“We don’t have a fullback on our team,” Martz said. “So the tight ends have picked that up and we’ve asked all of our tight ends to take turns at that position. That takes away from being the down-the-field type that we’d like Greg to do. But he’s done so many great things for us.

“Unselfishly, he’s lent himself over to do that so that we can run the ball so much better. He leads in there. He’s at the point-of-attack as a tight end. We put him out as a wide receiver. We can do everything with him.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagobears.com)

Coordinator Mike Martz insists that TE Greg Olsen "can do so much more" as a receiver and that his value can't be measured in statistics.
"He did so many things for us," Martz said. "Coaches around the league will look at what he did and say, 'Wow, this guy had a hell of a year.'" Martz has become a huge Olsen fan, but the next time he features a tight end in the passing game will be the first. Olsen will be underutilized again in 2011.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

Toward the end of the 2010 season, when it was clear his statistics would be down in every key category, Bears tight end Greg Olsen provided a glimpse into his character.

During a three-game stretch, he hauled in just three passes for 20 yards. But the fourth-year player didn’t complain about his limited opportunities or question his role.

Instead, he highlighted his growth in other areas and the challenges of becoming a more complete tight end.

‘‘I’ve had a lot of fun growing into the offense,’’ Olsen told me then. ‘‘When you have so many roles, it makes it a lot of fun. Each week in practice, it’s a challenge to try and learn it all.’’

Olsen and I chatted alone for a while just outside the locker room, and one of the topics I didn’t write about then was his future. Olsen is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which is set to pay him a base salary of $900,000 — about $500,000 less than blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna. That doesn’t include a $1 million roster bonus Manumaleuna is scheduled to receive as part of a five-year, $15  million contract he signed last offseason that included $6.1  million in guarantees.

‘‘My No. 1 priority is that I stay for here for a long time,’’ Olsen said. ‘‘Hopefully, both sides feel that same way. But I know I do. I want to stay in Chicago.’’

I asked him if his contract status was on his mind at all.

‘‘To say it [isn’t] would be a lie,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not what it’s all about, but it’s definitely a factor. But I’m confident that if I continue to play well and help our team win, then everything will take care of it itself.’’

Olsen insisted he wouldn’t issue any ultimatums to Bears management.

‘‘I’m not going to storm in and say this and that and the other thing,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m going to continue to work hard, try to be consistent and make the plays they ask me to and build on what I’ve done the last couple of years, and things will take care of themselves.’’

But a resolution could be complicated.

The collective bargaining agreement is set to expire March 3. A salary cap hasn’t been established, and the Bears already have a litany of expensive veterans on their tab. In addition, key players are set to hit the open market, including defensive tackle Anthony Adams.

And the team’s decision to sign two unrestricted free agents has created an awkward situation. When the Bears signed perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, they also invested in two other veterans, Manumaleuna and running back Chester Taylor, who didn’t have breakout seasons. Their younger counterparts, Olsen and Matt Forte, are scheduled to make be paid less than those two in 2011.

Clearly Olsen deserves a raise, but how much?

The NFL’s highest-paid tight end is Vernon Davis, who signed a five-year extension with the San Francisco 49ers that averages $7.35 million per year. Brent Celek signed a six-year extension with the Philadelphia Eagles in December 2009 that averages about $5 million a year.

One positive is that Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has completed several deals with Drew Rosenhaus, one of the most prolific agents of NFL players.

But before he engages in any serious talks, Angelo needs to figure out what offensive coordinator Mike Martz plans to do with Olsen.

Martz traditionally hasn’t focused on the tight end in terms of moving the football. Davis, one of the NFL’s best overall athletes, even had a forgettable season under Martz in 2008 when Martz was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator. Olsen’s numbers dipped dramatically from 2009 to 2010; he caught 19 fewer passes and scored three fewer touchdowns.

Martz, though, doesn’t blame Olsen.

‘‘Greg’s numbers in the passing game are not what they could and probably should be for his abilities, but what we’ve done with him is he lines up at the line of scrimmage, and he’s the point of attack,’’ Martz said in January. ‘‘But he’s also lined up at fullback and has been a lead blocker. We line him up at wide receiver. He does so many things for us, and just by being able to do that flexibility, it puts a lot of pressure on the defense, though his numbers wouldn’t indicate that.’’

So the Bears will have to figure out what to do with Olsen. Unlike the situation with Forte, they at least have a promising young player behind Olsen: Kellen Davis.

But in an age when skill players care more about ‘I’ than ‘T-E-A-M,’ Olsen takes the right approach. So, too, it seems, does Davis.

‘‘There are a lot of guys who get a ton of catches a game, and granted everyone wants that,’’ Olsen said. ‘‘But there’s a difference between getting a lot of balls and catching balls that are meaningful. Guys around here understand that. It’s not how many but the ones that you get.’’

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(suntimes.com)

Greg Olsen caught three passes for 30 yards in Chicago's NFC Championship Game loss to the Packers.

After busting out in the Divisional Round, Olsen faded back into his usual background role. He had no catches until Caleb Hanie came in and got the offense going late in the third quarter. Olsen did not express displeasure with his meager usage throughout the season, but did reportedly ask for a trade before the year. If tight end unfriendly coordinator Mike Martz is back, we wouldn't be surprised to see Olsen raise a stink again. He won't be a free agent until 2012.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

Greg Olsen hopes at least one myth about a Mike Martz-run offense now can be put to rest.

His performance in Sunday’s 35-24 NFC divisional playoff win over Seattle went a long way in erasing any thoughts that Martz’s offense can’t utilize a pass-catching tight end — especially in big games. Olsen and Jay Cutler did their part in dispelling that notion during the victory, quickly and emphatically.

“I’m not going to lie to you, it did feel good to get off to the fast start, and then have a couple of big plays later in the game,” Olsen said. “There’s no question it was a good feeling.”

Olsen caught a long touchdown pass from Cutler on the Bears’ first drive of the day, putting Seattle behind the rest of the way. Olsen finished with 113 receiving yards, the best playoff performance for a Chicago tight end in franchise history.

So was this enough to debunk the idea that an offense under Martz can’t (or won’t) feature a tight end?

“We’re not trying to debunk anything or prove any points. I’ve said from Day 1 that I’m happy to be a part of this offense,” Olsen said. “Everyone is all in. I think that’s a big reason why we’ve gotten this far.”

Still, it would be a hard argument to win anymore. Olsen was reportedly shopped around in the offseason after Martz was signed on to join the Bears. Instead, the team traded for blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, and Olsen was made into a movable part, setting up as a tight end, fullback and wideout as Martz implemented his offense.

Olsen was inconsistently good, putting up solid numbers – like his five-catch, 64-yard performance in Week 3 against the Packers – on some occasions, and not-so-good stats – like when he had one catch in four out of five games late in the season – on others.

He followed up his team-leading 60 receptions and eight TDs of a year ago with 38 catches and four touchdowns this regular season.

And then came Sunday.

“We hear a lot about not using our tight end; what about this,” Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. “Greg came out with a big touchdown pass right away, and throughout the day we felt like he could make a play anytime we got him the football.”

Cutler connected with Olsen for a 58-yard touchdown pass less than three minutes into Sunday’s playoff game, and they didn’t stop there.

“Olsen also caught a bunch of passes today,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said.

No coach, it just seemed that way.

Olsen was targeted a team-high nine times, making only three grabs, but making the most of those three grabs. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end in a receiver’s body had catches of 58, 33 and 22 yards, for the first 100-yard receiving game of his four-year career. It was also the third most in Bears single-game postseason history.

“Some games it can be the receivers, the tight ends, the backs, whoever,” Olsen said. “This just happened to be my day.”

The Packers are at least wondering if he can do it again this weekend in the NFC Championship game. Cutler knows he can.

“I’ve been comfortable with Greg since I got here. He’s a really friendly target,” the second-year Bear QB said. “This is nothing new to me. A lot of teams try to take him away because they know how dangerous he is, and they know we like to get him vertical.

“It doesn’t always work, though.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rrstar.com)

CHICAGO -- From a statistical standpoint (41 catches for 404 yards and five touchdowns), the 2010 regular season was Greg Olsen's worst since his rookie year.

But those numbers mean nothing in the postseason.

Olsen played arguably the best game of his NFL life on Sunday. He finished with a career-high 113 yards receiving yards -- the third-highest single-game total in Bears history -- and caught a 58-yard touchdown on the third play of the Bears' first possession.

"They came out in man coverage," Olsen said. "We thought we had a shot -- it was third and short. Lawyer Milloy was up in coverage, good player, but we were able to get down the field and Jay [Cutler] was able to hold it so that it gave us a chance. He was able to hold it, I was able to get behind [Milloy], and he put the ball where you've got to make that play. [Cutler] put the ball in the perfect spot, and we were able to score."

"Greg gives us a good matchup most of the time," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Going to him on the first big third down, he's tough to cover, whether it's a safety or a linebacker. Greg has good skills as far as his speed and being able to get down the field.

You can add this to the list of things that went horribly awry for the Bears in the loss to Seattle on Oct. 17: Olsen had zero catches on three targets. Luckily for the Bears -- just like with Matt Forte in the run game -- offensive coordinator Mike Martz was able to correct those mistakes in the playoff rematch.

"It was nice to have a big day," Olsen said. "It was nice to be that big a part of the offense in the passing game. I'm not going to lie, it did feel good to get off to a fast start and have a couple of big plays later in the game. There's no question it was a good feeling."

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(espn.com)

Drafted by the Bears in 2007 a few months after they had reached the Super Bowl, tight end Greg Olsen never thought that he'd have to wait until his fourth season to make his first trip to the playoffs.

“I was excited to come here,” said Olsen, a first-round pick. “You expect to be back right away. But as a lot of teams know, for the most part, that’s not the case. It’s not easy to get this far. There’s a lot that goes into it.

“Myself and other guys who haven’t been in the playoffs are really anxious and are really excited for this opportunity. It’s been four years since we’ve been in the playoffs. We’re happy for our fans. It’s been kind of a tough couple of years. So we’re excited and we hope to do good things and keep this thing rolling."

Olsen caught 41 passes for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. Although his statistics were down—he had 54 and 60 receptions the previous two years—he was among the Bears’ most valuable players.

“Greg’s numbers in the passing game are not what they could and probably should be for his abilities,”  said offensive coordinator Mike Martz. “He lines up at the line of scrimmage at the point of attack, but he’s also lined up at fullback and has been a lead blocker. We line him up at receiver.

“He does so many things for us and just being able to do that flexibility puts a lot of pressure on the defense, though his numbers wouldn’t indicate that.”

"I didn't have as many catches but I had as many impact plays if not more key catches, third downs, touchdowns, whatever the case," Olsen said. "I contribute in the running game, pass protection in the backfield, blitz pickup, so it's not always about stats. This year kind of opened my eyes to that." Olsen wanted a trade over the offseason, but he's happy now, which isn't surprising since winning cures most things.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagobears.com)

Greg Olsen could end up catching a dozen passes against Seattle on Sunday, score three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game and be the Super Bowl hero.

But Olsen, the Bears and the rest of the league know the fourth-year tight end would still be better off on another team.

With one year left on his contract, Olsen had the fewest catches (41) and the least yardage (404) this regular season since his rookie year. He had 19 fewer receptions, 208 fewer yards and three fewer touchdowns (five) than last season, when he was Jay Cutler's favorite target.

He could triple that amount on any number of teams and better utilize what he does best.

Yes, Olsen out of necessity improved somewhat as a blocker this season. His block to spring Matt Forte to a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of the Bears' victory over the Jets was perhaps his best. But it's still not what he does.

After Mike Martz's arrival last winter, Olsen told people he wanted to be traded. And who could blame him? Even Martz readily admitted that there wasn't much room in his system for a tight end with his hand down. Translation: Tight ends on Martz's teams were glorified offensive linemen and fullbacks, nothing more.

Olsen said Wednesday that he has changed his attitude.

"It's definitely different as far as the past," he said. "But I really think, and I wholeheartedly believe this, that it's been a good thing. It's opened my eyes that you can have an impact on the game other than catching the ball and scoring touchdowns.

"In the past, it was always, 'What can our tight ends do in the passing game?' We did stuff in the run game, don't get me wrong. But this year, we have a lot more responsibility on blitz protections on third downs. As opposed to maybe running the routes, we're back there, which is just as important, picking up blitzes, scanning guys, run blocking from the backfield, on the line of scrimmage. … The position has made some plays and been a factor in the passing game. But I feel like the position has helped in other ways that sometimes can go unnoticed. … I think we've all grown a lot this past year as all-around players.”

That would be with the notable exception of Desmond Clark, of course. Prior to last season, in which a season-opening back injury limited him to seven starts and 11 games, the 12-year veteran became the first Bears tight end since Mike Ditka to turn in three consecutive 40-reception seasons.

Why the multidimensional Clark was inactive in 11 games and had just one catch for 12 yards this season was as much a mystery as it was a waste, particularly after Martz flashed Clark and the other tight ends in training camp as if they were going to be the main cogs in the offense. He also started Clark at fullback during the preseason and talked about his ability to catch balls out of the backfield.

But it was all talk, as Martz shifted his guy, Brandon Manumaleuna, to fullback in the season opener and shafted Clark, who is all but gone after this season since his Bears contract expires. Manumaleuna, whom the Bears signed to a five-year deal in March, seemed to miss more blocks than he made this season and became such a nonfactor that he all but escaped the responsibility heaped upon the O-line.

As a group, the Bears' tight ends, along with Kellen Davis, caught just 48 passes this season, down from 88 last season, and had five fewer touchdowns with eight combined.

Considering that no tight end under Martz had caught more than 38 passes or scored more than six touchdowns in a season, Olsen's 41 and five were on par. But is that production worth an extension? Probably not to Olsen if the Bears realize there are plenty of other tight ends who can do the same thing in this system and offer to pay him accordingly.

Considering Martz's concessions this season in regards to the run game, not to mention the Bears' 11-5 record and Manumaleuna's contract, it's unrealistic to expect Martz to change his philosophy toward tight ends.

Cutler tried to make a case for Olsen's fit.

"Greg's still valuable to this offensive right now," he said. "He does so many different things. Him and kind of Earl [Bennett] and Rashied [Davis] and those guys are kind of our movable pieces. He's lined up at probably every position possible out there. I think even though Greg's numbers might be down, he's probably had more fun in this offense than he has in years. Just the challenge of preparing each week and the different things we're asking him to do."

Maybe. But do the Bears need a former first-round pick to do that?

Somehow it feels like watching Clark sit on the bench all season. A waste.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

6 proCanes made early exits out of the NFL playoffs after he wildcard round this weekend.

Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles) all lost their respective games and will start their offseason.

Below are the remaining proCanes in the NFL playoffs.

AFC: Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).

The Bears' Matt Forte and Greg Olsen and former "Apprentice" winner Bill Rancic attended the premiere of "The Dilemma" at AMC River East movie theater on Thursday. Forte and Olsen were also spotted at Mastro's Steakhouse that night.

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagotribune.com)

17 proCanes will participate in the 2010 NFL playoffs. 8 from the AFC and 9 from the NFC. Below is a list of the players.

AFC: Reggie Wayne (Colts), Javarris James (Colts), Ed Reed (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots).

NFC: Kelly Jennings (Seahawks), Jon Vilma (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jeremy Shockey (Saints), Antonio Dixon (Eagles), Spencer Adkins (Falcons), Devin Hester (Bears), Greg Olsen (Bears), Sam Shields (Packers).