Should Seahawks Target Veteran TE Greg Olsen?
As the latest long-tenured member of the Panthers to be jettisoned amid a rebuilding effort, tight end Greg Olsen and the team agreed to part ways on Thursday, ending his nine-year stint with the franchise.
Set to turn 35 years old in March, Olsen already jumpstarted the next phase of his career by serving as a guest analyst for FOX Sports while on injured reserve during the 2017 season. He’s expected to be in high demand in the broadcast booth once he hangs up his cleats.
But Olsen doesn’t sound like he’s ready to retire just yet, tweeting, “At this time, I have not closed the door on any potential career options. I still have the love of football in my heart and will explore all opportunities presented to me."
Drew Rosenhaus, Olsen’s agent, told Adam Schefter of ESPN that his client would “be in communication with other teams after the Super Bowl.”
At this stage of his career, Olsen will likely be looking to land with a contender for one last shot at winning a Super Bowl. Could the Seahawks be an interested suitor? And should they be?
Since being drafted out of Miami in 2007, Olsen has been a beacon of consistency at the tight end position. In 13 seasons with the Bears and Panthers, he’s averaged 55 receptions, 649 receiving yards, and 4.5 touchdown receptions per season and played in three Pro Bowls from 2014 to 2016.
Despite playing without Cam Newton most of last season, Olsen bounced back from two injury-plagued seasons with 52 receptions for 597 yards and two touchdowns. He also played in 14 games, the most he had played in since 2016.
Serving as a team captain multiple seasons, Olsen became a respected leader for several of the teams in Panthers history, including the 2015 squad that finished 15-1, won the Halas Trophy as NFC champions, and lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
With Will Dissly coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon, Jacob Hollister set to be a restricted free agent, and veteran Ed Dickson being a cap casualty candidate, the Seahawks have significant question marks at tight end. The team has already been linked to pending free agent Austin Hooper, indicating the front office wants to add an upgrade.
While Hooper may be outside of Seattle’s comfort zone financially, Olsen would check off a number of boxes at a lower cost, allowing the team to spend money elsewhere. Catching passes from All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson, he’d have a chance to finish his career with a bang and would add another playoff-tested veteran to the locker room.
With that said, his age and recent injury history aren’t red flags that can be ignored. Olsen missed 16 games with lingering foot problems in 2017 and 2018, landing on injured reserve both seasons. He also missed two games last season due to a concussion.
Olsen has also never been highly regarded as a run blocker, which always screams bad fit with the Seahawks. While their evaluations are far from fool proof, Pro Football Focus ranked him 115th out of 117 qualified tight ends in 2016 and he’s consistently earned poor run blocking grades.
Some fans would view signing Olsen as a similar move to Seattle bringing Jimmy Graham on board in 2015, though there are some stark differences.
Graham arrived via trade from the Saints in the midst of his prime and expected to get plenty of targets. He had been playing in an offensive scheme perfectly suited for his skill set, as he basically played receiver most of the time and wasn’t used often as an inline blocker.
Irrationally, the Seahawks tried to transform Graham into a capable inline blocker, but it wasted his best assets and he generally seemed disinterested in improving that area of his game. As a result, the run game suffered.
Olsen, on the other hand, played in a run-centric offense built around Newton for nearly a decade. Even if he’s not a good run blocker, unlike Graham, there’s never been questions about his willingness to do the dirty work and the Panthers consistently finished in the top-10 in rushing yards and attempts.
Seeing as how Olsen is already in the twilight of his career, there also shouldn’t be concerns about him demanding targets either. He’s going to sign a one-year deal looking to contribute to a winning team and provide mentorship for younger players.
Seattle believes Dissly will come back 100 percent healthy, but he’s had two severe injuries in two seasons. Hollister is a move tight end who struggles in the blocking department. Dickson didn’t play a single game in 2018 and has battled injuries throughout his two years with the team. Luke Willson is a free agent and may not be brought back.
Given all of the uncertainty, the Seahawks have to do something to bolster their tight end unit. Though he’s not the same player who became the first tight end in NFL history with three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, if the price is right, Olsen would be an excellent veteran addition for 2020.
