Olsen Visiting Bills First, Redskins Still to Come

The impress Greg Olsen tour began in earnest on Wednesday night with a trip to see some old friends in Buffalo. He's not making any quick decisions, however.

It's six weeks to the official start of the new league year and before any non-released free agents can sign with new teams. 

That puts Greg Olsen in a unique position of being able to take his time and survey the landscape before everyone else does. 

That portrait started in Buffalo Wednesday night meeting with old friends Sean McDermott, Brandon Beane, Dan Morgan and the rest of the Bills staff. 

I don't believe the selection of the Bills first means anything significant, but of course it could when you consider that they are a solid playoff team and in need of a veteran compliment to Dawson Knox. 

From @NFLTotalAccess: Greg Olsen's free-agent tour is underway in Buffalo, but don't expect anything to happen quickly. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/2KI2bUwgUz

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 6, 2020

We didn't get any exact time frame on a trip to meet the Redskins but my guess is that it will be no earlier than Friday, if not next week. 

It's beyond clear that the position is a huge need for the Redskins. Ron Rivera didn't have to say it, but he did when he said on "Redskins Nation" recently - "Do we have our tight end? Probably not." Rivera added that the spot was a "big question mark."

Even though the Redskins have a big need and maybe a quick time frame, it doesn't seem like Olsen will be making a choice soon. 

"Right now, it's just about having all the information. We've been blown away by the amount of teams that have contacted us, that have shown interest," Olsen told Waddle and Silvy on ESPN 1000 in Chicago Tuesday. .

Olsen confirmed that he will take three scheduled visits, while also saying "I've been very up front with the teams and I've been very up front with  everybody involved. We're going to get a good picture of what  the  landscape looks like out there both football and personally are for me and my family," before he makes any kind of a decision."

"Once I'm in, you're jumping full into the deep end. Once your in - you gotta go. You've gotta give them everything you've got. 

"It's been exciting. It's the first time I've ever been a free agent. We'll see what the future holds."

Olsen is No. 74 on the best free agents list for NFLTradeRumors.com.

He addressed his burgeoning TV career but made it mostly clear to my ears that he's playing football this year and a full time media career is not yet on the front burner. 

"I think that option is on the table. I don't think we've closed the door on anything," Olsen told ESPN 1000.  "I didn't want to make a hasty decision after being released.."

"You want to make sure you let your emotions settle....We're just starting that process on the football side. We'll see where it leads," Olsen told "Waddle & Silvy." 

A return home to the Bears is something Olsen was hoping to have a chance at but he admitted so far, no dice. 

"In my heart, I was hoping they would have been one of the first calls... My phone is on."

Unfortunately, a Chicago based show was not going to ask Olsen much, if anything,  about the Redskins and that was the case here. 

We're all left to wait. And we'll probably wait for at  least a week or so and maybe more on Olsen's next venture. 

Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.