Thread: Olsen confident offense will make improve

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

Does this mean Olsens' blocking is going to improve also ? Gee that'd be nice.

He did improve a lot last year over the year before. So much so that Martz actually had him lining up a a FB on some plays in place of Manu. Olsen will never make anyone's all-pro blocker team but he's still one of the best pass catching weapons we've got.

Originally Posted by soulman

He did improve a lot last year over the year before. So much so that Martz actually had him lining up a a FB on some plays in place of Manu. Olsen will never make anyone's all-pro blocker team but he's still one of the best pass catching weapons we've got.

Replacing Manu doesn't impress me cuz Manu blows. I agree with the pass catching thought.

Originally Posted by Blue Horse-shoe

Replacing Manu doesn't impress me cuz Manu blows. I agree with the pass catching thought.

What they need to do this year is to take him out of periodically replacing Manu at FB and keep him at TE or HB. If Manu doen't play better than he did last year we should be looking at a guy like Lance Louis as a possible replacement. Martz wants an offensive lineman size FB for blocking purposes so Louis fits that description. He played some TE in college so it's not as if he has no abilites to pick up a FB assignments if they give him a chance.

The guy that should have been alternating with Manu last year was Des Clark but for whatever reason they chose to keep him inactive most of the year and this year he's not likely to return. I don't really think Davis is the guy we need playing FB either and Unga is more of a power RB than a blocking FB so there's Manu, Eddie Williams, and possibly Louis to compete for the spot.

Olsen is far too good a pass catcher and downfield threat to be using in a blocking back role. Hopefully Martz will recognize that and make a change. He has said he intends to throw to Olsen more this year.

Originally Posted by soulman

What they need to do this year is to take him out of periodically replacing Manu at FB and keep him at TE or HB. If Manu doen't play better than he did last year we should be looking at a guy like Lance Louis as a possible replacement. Martz wants an offensive lineman size FB for blocking purposes so Louis fits that description. He played some TE in college so it's not as if he has no abilites to pick up a FB assignments if they give him a chance.

The guy that should have been alternating with Manu last year was Des Clark but for whatever reason they chose to keep him inactive most of the year and this year he's not likely to return. I don't really think Davis is the guy we need playing FB either and Unga is more of a power RB than a blocking FB so there's Manu, Eddie Williams, and possibly Louis to compete for the spot.

Olsen is far too good a pass catcher and downfield threat to be using in a blocking back role. Hopefully Martz will recognize that and make a change. He has said he intends to throw to Olsen more this year.

If Manu being in there = a running play 85% of the time, it's too predictable for defenses. If he was more effective I wouldn't care so much because they still have to stop the play. But when he's ineffective , these plays seem like a waste of time. I know he's not the only one blocking so it isn't all on him, but when he's the big tip off that it's a running play ...... either he better get better, or Martz needs to be more creative and cross teams up so they have more to think about. Guys can have rebound years , but if he plays the same way this year he's a waste of space. Here's to hoping he has a better year ( If he makes the team ). The running game HAS to get better this year. If it doesn't, it puts too much pressure on Cutler and the defense to carry this team. I think the emphasis in camp should be on the running game (a bit) more than the passing game.

Manu should be gone period. The FB position should not be filled by sub-par blockers like Olsen. Eddie Williams, Louis, Tu'ufo'ou (if he tries out again) and even Unga are a better option. The O line gets flak and rightfully so but the team needs good blocking from both the TE and FB position especially if there is going to be a dramatic improvement in offensive production or reduce the qb hits.

Well I think we can all agree that Manu was a wasted signing. What ever Martz's intended use for him, it didn't work and I'd like to see anyone but him get a shot at the FB spot this year. One interesting FA out there who fits both as a FB and a power RB is Kuhn from the Packers. Might be worth a look once FA starts.

Originally Posted by soulman

Well I think we can all agree that Manu was a wasted signing. What ever Martz's intended use for him, it didn't work and I'd like to see anyone but him get a shot at the FB spot this year. One interesting FA out there who fits both as a FB and a power RB is Kuhn from the Packers. Might be worth a look once FA starts.

Kuhn would be good. Aside from Edgar Bennett I'm having a hard time thinking of many Packers who've become Bears.