Thread: The Greg Olsen Trade Question [Sun Times]

Originally Posted by Dagan81

That won't happen. Olsen is a far more polished receiver and route runner than Kellen Davis. Also, the difference in their blocking capabilities is negligible at best, if there is any.

That's exactly what I'm saying for the benefit of those who want to trade Olsen. If Davis takes the #1 TE spot all it does is dimish Olsen's value and we get nothing for him. Or we put a price on him and either we trade him this offseason if we get that price and take a chance on Davis, and if not we work to resign him before he takes free agency.

Originally Posted by Dagan81

Personally, if I'm Lovie, I make a very strong suggestion to Mike Martz to draw up more pass schemes for Greg Olsen. Olsen was drafted as a sort of "hybrid" TE. When asked to block, he can do it, but he runs routes and catches passes like a wide receiver. You don't find that package too often. Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, and Antonio Gates are three that come to mind who are capable of doing so, but I'm not convinced that those three are any faster than Olsen. Olsen is a keeper, and it's a damn foolhardy move and idea to think about trading him.

In that case, we need to sign someone to fill the G position in free agency unless Stefen Wisniewski falls to late in the 2nd Round of the draft. (I'm thinking Davin Joseph. What about you?)

I'm with you 100% on Olsen. Although I wouldn't even think to put him in the same class with Gonzales or Gates at this time I think that if were used more effectively he might be considered among the top pass catching TE's in the NFL. He has the talent to achieve that but maybe not the system. Still, that doesn't seem to bother him and he wants to stay with the Bears and I say we should accomodate him.

I'd love to get a chance at Wisniewski late in the 2nd round but don't think he'll last that long. There are quite a few OG's names being bandied around and since I haven't really watched them play all that much I really can't offer an informed opinion on any one of them. What I do think though is that's definitely a spot we can fill in FA as well as the draft.

Originally Posted by Dagan81

Personally, if I'm Lovie, I make a very strong suggestion to Mike Martz to draw up more pass schemes for Greg Olsen. Olsen was drafted as a sort of "hybrid" TE. When asked to block, he can do it, but he runs routes and catches passes like a wide receiver. You don't find that package too often. Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, and Antonio Gates are three that come to mind who are capable of doing so, but I'm not convinced that those three are any faster than Olsen. Olsen is a keeper, and it's a damn foolhardy move and idea to think about trading him.

In that case, we need to sign someone to fill the G position in free agency unless Stefen Wisniewski falls to late in the 2nd Round of the draft. (I'm thinking Davin Joseph. What about you?)

My point is that Martz has probably been told this before and he has not done it. He came in last year and said Olsen would be involved, and he was not. All the evidence points towards Martz not using the TE position.

Olsen is a luxury in this offense and will more than likely waste away in 2011 and then leave to a team that features a TE in 2012.

This is about resource allocation and we have a serious resource in a position that does not do anything for us.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

My point is that Martz has probably been told this before and he has not done it. He came in last year and said Olsen would be involved, and he was not. All the evidence points towards Martz not using the TE position.

Olsen is a luxury in this offense and will more than likely waste away in 2011 and then leave to a team that features a TE in 2012.

This is about resource allocation and we have a serious resource in a position that does not do anything for us.

If you look at the number of snaps Olsen played I'd say that Martz did get him involved just not as much in the passing game as we think he should have. If Martz ends the experiment that had Olsen lining up at FB and spots him in a TE/HB role his pass catching skills would benefit greatly. Let's see if the success he had late in the year throwing to the TE's changes his mind.

Since he's only making $900k this year if he's a luxury at least he's a very inexpensive one. The Bears need a decent TE and all things considered Olsen has turned out to be the best we've had since Emery Moorehead. If you dump Olsen who would you replace him with?

Manu can't catch and Davis is a big target but still doesn't have Olsen's combination of skills.

For an offense you say under uses it's TE's we've sure as hell have enough of them. If we do keep all three I'd recommend they keep Manu as an OT/TE inline blocker only put Olsen at HB in the slot and occasionally at WR and use Davis as Olsen's backup as a pass catcher. Then call the TE's number more frequently in the passing game. When we use it correctly it works.

Originally Posted by WindyCity

My point is that Martz has probably been told this before and he has not done it. He came in last year and said Olsen would be involved, and he was not. All the evidence points towards Martz not using the TE position.

Olsen is a luxury in this offense and will more than likely waste away in 2011 and then leave to a team that features a TE in 2012.

This is about resource allocation and we have a serious resource in a position that does not do anything for us.

Olsen was targeted 70 times. Same amount as Bennett and Forte and 3 less than Hester. Knox led the team with 100 targets.

Now, how was Olsen not involved? 3 way tie for third on the team and 3 away from second? How was he not involved?

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

To answer your question.... if Olsen wants too much money after next season, draft his clone : TE Coby Fleener from Stanford, an emerging TE from Lemont who grew up a Bears fan who would love to be here and wouldn't complain about how much he's being used.

Since we won't know that until we offer him and extension and Rosenhaus responds I wouldn't plan on his replacement just yet. He's entitled to a decent raise over this years $775k and a long term deal but he won't get anywhere near what top dollar TE's get.

I've never once heard Olsen complain about how little he's being used. In fact he recently commented on just how much he appeciated the flexibility he experienced this past year. It's me and a whole lot of other posters who are doing the complaining not Olsen.