Thread: The Greg Olsen Trade Question [Sun Times]

Originally Posted by Dagan81

He may not cost more than that, though. Remember, Benji, that he has been injured a few times in his career, and he's not getting any younger. Even if he is more expensive than Manumaleuna, his productivity on his worst day is far better than what we ever got out of the overweight and out-of-shape Manumaleuna.

But, the point I am trying to make, is that signing him, even with cutting Manu (Which DB said would said about 1.2M I think) to sign Shockey will take away needed funds to sign a free agent OL or WR.

Push comes to shove, give me OL and WR before trading TEs

Originally Posted by WindyCity

He enters the final year of his contract, which calls for him to make a modest $900,000, and Olsen's agent Drew Rosenhaus will surely push for a lucrative extension. The Bears have traditionally been proactive under general manager Jerry Angelo, but they may be more guarded this offseason and, perhaps, in the future.

If Martz wants to take advantage of Olsen's versatility, as he suggested, then the Bears should consider a long-term deal to keep him around. But if he doesn't, then the Bears should shop him and trade him.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2011...o_with_gr.html

I really think the Bears need to look at trading him before he walks for nothing.

-He is going to get paid at some point and anything over what he makes right now is not good value to the Bears.

-Mike Martz is probably never going to use him as he should and Olsen will want to leave.

These factor lead me to believe that we should use Olsen for whatever value he has. Because right now he is a luxury on a team with real holes.

Shoot Windy, both Des Clark (inactive most of the season) and Manumaleuna (useless for anything else other than blocking which he's none too good at either) made more money last season than Olsen will make this year. Why dump a guy who scores TD's for you and gives you the kind of flexibity Olsen does when he's making less than almost any vet TE in the league? What did Manu provide us with for his millions?

This is just another one of those offseason theoreticals that are about 90% opinion and 10% fact and almost the only thing that's factual is his stats. Any body can look those up and offer an opinion that isn't much different from the ones you'll get around here. The only real difference is that the asshats who get them published get paid.

Despite what Rosenhaus may think Olsen will never even get close to what Kellen Winslow got unless for some unknown reason he has an Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzales kind of year and you rule that out by saying that Martz will continue to under use him. Martz's comments indicate that he's aware that Olsen should be showing far better stats than he has which tells me that he does enjoy the kind of productivity and flexibility that comes from him. Maybe this season he'll spend more time pass catching and less as a blocking back an those stats will improve.

I also think the author makes far too much of Kellen Davis's talent. He has nowhere near the speed of Olsen and in really doesn't block any better than Olsen either. True he makes some nice catches every once and a while but I plainly don't see anywhere near Olsen's kind of skills package in him.

What Martz needs to do is put a true blocking back in there with Forte when it's needed. A guy who can also be used as a short yardage and goaline ball carrier like the Packers John Kuhn. Use Manu (if they keep his ass) as an inline TE/OT where he probably can be useful gto the team. Then they move Olsen out into Hback roles and slot roles where he can kill the opposition on seam routes (LB's and Safties can't cover him well), occasionally use him at WR in red zone situations and keep his ass out of the backfield. When he plays there is when we don't get value out of him and that's the reason that his 2010 production was down which the author xseems to overlook.

For a guy who doesn't like to use his TE's we sure as hell had enough of them (4) on the roster last season yet we zero FB's to fill the role that Martz inappropriately thrust Olsen into. If they ever use the guy like they should, now that we've got a QB who loves him and can throw to him he could easily double last years numbers.

I'm sorry but right now a pass catching TE with his skills is NOT a luxury. You get me a receiving core that includes Sidney Rice, Calvin Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald and maybe I'd agree with you.

Originally Posted by The Benjamin

So continue going with too many TEs, while ignoring the weaknesses of OL and WR?

Why not, we have done it for years and look where it got us?

Originally Posted by Dagan81

Tell that to the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts. Right now, Jason Witten and Dallas Clark are the two top TEs in the league, and are the go-to outlet guys for Tony Romo and Peyton Manning, respectively, when there are no open receivers out in the secondary. If Martz every decides to use Greg Olsen more, then we might potentially have a Pro Bowler on our hands as well as an All-Pro.

That's exactly my point. If we trade Olsen to a team like NE, Dallas, Indy, NO, etc. he will become one of the top pass catching TE's in the league I have no doubt. Then we're left with no one with his talent to fill the position and we're right back to doing without it for years like we did ever since Emery Moorehead left.

Lovie and company need to stop trying to fit square pegs into round holes and design the team around players strengths instead of their weaknesses.