Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has been a very good player for quite a while now, but it appears he may be on another level this year. Through five games, Olsen has 27 catches for 326 yards and four touchdowns. If he can maintain his pace the rest of the season, he would post career highs in all three categories. It might finally get him the Pro Bowl invite that has thus far eluded him.
Watch out for Greg Olsen
In the past, the veteran tight end was an afterthought in the Panthers’ offense. This year, he’s coming into his own as one of Cam Newton’s top weapons. Retired NFL defensive end Stephen White sees a Pro Bowl in Olsen’s future.
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I don't necessarily think Olsen is playing particularly better this year. It goes back to the Panthers' decision to cut loose Steve Smith in the offseason. No matter how poorly it was handled, the end result so far is that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is now spreading the ball around a lot more than he has in past. That creates a positive impact for Olsen, not only because Cam might be looking for him more now in different situations, but also because now opposing defenses have to defend the whole field, which allows more room for Olsen to operate.
I went back to look at some coaches tape from last year to make sure I wasn’t making stuff up, and sure enough, last season teams were definitely looking to double both Olsen and Smith, especially in the red zone. The idea, I imagine, was to make Newton beat you throwing to somebody else. Considering the fact that the Panthers won 12 games in the regular season, you could make the argument that strategy didn’t work out all that well for the opposition.
This year is different, primarily because the Panthers haven’t been able to rely on their running game the way they normally would. Not only have their running backs been dropping like flies (I had to Google the last two guys they played), but also Newton, who has always been an integral part of the running game, has been banged up since the offseason. Even as a decoy, the threat of Newton running could affect a defense. Now, most teams know that the Panthers aren’t willing to put him at risk, so they don’t have to worry about him running. With little to no running game, that should make it easier to cover a guy like Olsen, but it hasn’t because now you just never know where Newton might go with the ball.
Look at Olsen's first touchdown against the Bears on Sunday. There wasn't anything special about the route. The Panthers lined up in trips out of the shotgun with Olsen inside on the trips side. He basically ran right up the seam. Newton didn't make a run fake to the running back, so there wasn't anything for secondary to bite on. At the same time, it's worth noting that before the play, Newton had already thrown passes to three different wide receivers as well as two other tight ends. The Bears didn't concentrate on stopping Olsen, to their detriment, because that pass could have just as easily as gone to Kelvin Benjamin or Jerricho Cotchery or Jason Avant.
Somehow, some way, the Panthers find themselves once again atop the NFC South after five games, even after losing so much talent in the offseason. They’re pulling this off with their running backs looking like a MASH ward and Newton still not at 100 percent. It’s pretty damn incredible ... and scary.
Just imagine what that offense might look like once it can actually run the ball down a defense’s throat. If you think Olsen’s numbers are good now, he’ll be even more wide open then. I think barring injury, he will be making that trip to the Pro Bowl this year.
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