Veteran tight end Greg Olsen has done the rounds since becoming a free agent. There’s the Redskins, the Seahawks, and of course, the Bills, on his radar.
His connections with Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are the obvious connections. But is the 13-year vet enough of a fit?
Bleacher Report thinks yes. Among the outlet’s free agency predictions is Olsen signing with Buffalo:
The Bears could pursue Olsen, but the Buffalo Bills seem like a better fit because they need a more proven tight end in the passing game. The 34-year-old has already visited Buffalo and Washington, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Furthermore, he has a connection with head coach Sean McDermott.
In 2011, former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera hired McDermott, while Olsen arrived via trade from Chicago.
While McDermott was the defensive coordinator, he’s familiar with what the every-down contributor brings as a pass-catcher and blocker. The consummate tight end played 1,000-plus offensive snaps in each season from 2012-16 (Pro Football Reference’s snap-count totals begin in 2012).
The Bills have third-rounder Dawson Knox, who flashed as a rookie, but he’s far from a polished playmaker, registering 28 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns this past season. In May, Tyler Kroft broke his foot, which factored into a slow start to the 2019 campaign. He’s only logged more than 11 receptions in one (2017) out of five seasons.
Olsen would be an immediate upgrade at tight end. In a conversation with Joseph Person of The Athletic, the 13-year veteran talked about avoiding rebuild situations, which makes Buffalo a more logical landing spot than Washington.
A lot to digest there, but many valid points. Adding to the breakdown of Buffalo’s current roster, there’s also Lee Smith, Tommy Sweeney and Jason Croom to consider. Croom is likely to go at the end of training camp in a scenario with Olsen involved, but due to his contract, Kroft is very much a cut candidate as well.
Furthermore, McDermott loves his vets. Think Kyle Williams, Lorenzo Alexander and Frank Gore. McDermott isn’t afraid to lean on his experienced players and there are few guys in the NFL that have as much experience as Olsen.
The full article titled by B/R is NFL Free-Agent Signings That Make So Much Sense They Feel Bound to Happen. Olsen and the Bills certainly seem like a near-perfect match, but Olsen could consider another team or a broadcasting career as well. Stay tuned as Olsen is reportedly going to make his decision by week’s end.
[lawrence-related id=55456,55450,55434,55426]
