A top-tier tight end hit the market when the Panthers parted ways with Greg Olsen this offseason. But how much does the 34-year-old have left in the tank? Olsen, who has been in the NFL since he was drafted by the Bears in 2007, spent the last nine seasons with Carolina, racking up three Pro Bowl nods and three seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards in the process.
A couple of weeks after his release, Olsen signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Seahawks that includes $5.5 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter. He also drew interest from the Bills and Washington.
Olsen has been a consistent weapon in his career. He is known for being a sure-handed receiver, even if he has occasionally struggled with blocking. Injuries have been an issue that have limited his effectiveness in recent years, however. The last time Olsen played a full season was in 2016, when he caught 80 passes for 1,073 yards and three touchdowns.
Olsen’s play in 2019 had a few teams interested in his services, though. This past season, Olsen caught 52 passes for 597 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He caught 63.4 percent of the passes thrown his way and gained 7.3 yards per target, which is right within his normal career range. Of his 52 receptions, 34 went for first downs.
It’s also worth noting Olsen did all of this with a shaky quarterback situation: first an injured Cam Newton, then Kyle Allen, and finally rookie Will Grier.
His days of being a No. 1 tight end are likely behind him, but Olsen can be a useful veteran presence.
Here’s why he still has plenty left to offer the Seahawks:
Olsen is still a dangerous receiver
This past season, Olsen had a few big games despite the Panthers’ issues at quarterback. After Newton went down for the season, Allen entered the lineup in Week 3 against the Cardinals. Olsen caught the first pass Allen threw in the 2019 season.
That kind of play is the one that Olsen is so good at — skirting around the edge of a linebacker to get open. He ran a quick fade, and Allen delivered a very catchable ball, resulting in a 17-yard gain.
Olsen’s best work this season came over the middle of the field. His most productive game of the season was a six-catch, 110-yard performance against the Buccaneers when Newton was at quarterback. There were two big plays over the middle in that one worth highlighting.
The first:
Olsen isn’t as quick and he doesn’t run through tacklers like he used to, but he still can make a linebacker look foolish with a subtle cut. That’s what he did on the play above, running a simple crossing route over the middle and leaving his defender behind. Olsen beat his man well enough that he picked up another 15 yards after the catch.
It’s not all about beating man coverage, either. Olsen is so good at finding the perfect spot in the zone, right over the top of a linebacker but well between the safeties.
He got free for a big one against the Buccaneers:
Olsen gets a lot done with a little bit of motion. He didn’t do much here but run straight forward through the seam, where the natural hole in the zone was just waiting for him. He also didn’t break stride and reached back to pull in the catch, again demonstrating his rock-solid mechanics.
All of that said, Olsen isn’t just a threat over the middle. He can get work done underneath, too:
That’s a quick out route that Olsen caught in stride against the Packers with Allen at quarterback. He quickly turned upfield and picked up an easy 15 yards. Olsen has run this kind of a play a lot in his career — he’s often the dump-off option for quarterbacks facing a blitz, and the result is usually something similar to above.
That’ll help make him a valuable asset to whichever quarterback he teams up with next.
Olsen will turn 35 in March and is entering his 14th season in the NFL. He’s not going to be the top target for Russell Wilson, but he has the skills to be a reliable one. Even if he doesn’t completely take over football games, he’s a player defenses have to account for on passing downs.
The Seahawks have struggled at the tight end position in recent years. They will have Will Dissly under contract, though he’s coming off his second season-ending injury in as many years. Jacob Hollister will be a restricted free agent and Luke Willson is set to become an unrestricted free agent. None of those three are as proven as Olsen, who can take over the starting role. Olsen should help out receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, in addition to providing a reliable target for Wilson.
Olsen is prepped for a career after the NFL, whenever he decides to hang it up. During the offseason, he’s in the broadcast booth for the XFL, and he has also called NFL games before. He’s received positive feedback for his work as an announcer (unlike certain other tight ends). But before he gets there, he wants to show he can still play.
It’s been a hell of a career thus far, and Olsen will get a chance to add to his legacy with Seattle.
