Panthers TE Greg Olsen, who has been on injured reserve since suffering a broken foot in Week 2, will return to practice tomorrow, as Olsen himself said during the FOX pregame show today (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Olsen, who is serving as a FOX analyst for today’s Rams-Vikings contest, indicated he would be on the field tomorrow and hopes to play against the Jets next week.
His return would be a boon for a team that traded away No. 1 wideout Kelvin Benjamin at the trade deadline and recently lost rookie Curtis Samuel for the season. Carolina is very much in the thick of things in the NFC South, sitting at 7-3 and just a half game behind the division-leading Saints, and Olsen could help the club at least secure a playoff berth. Quarterback Cam Newton and Olsen have had a great rapport during their time together in Carolina, with both players now among the league’s best at their respective positions.
Ed Dickson has served as the Panthers’ top tight end in Olsen’s absence, but outside of one monster game against Detroit, he has not been able to replicate Olsen’s production. Last year, Olsen had 80 catches for 1,072 yards and three touchdowns, which was his third consecutive season with 1,000 yards or more (and his fifth straight season with over 100 targets).
Between Olsen, Devin Funchess, and Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers should be able to cobble together enough of a passing game to stay in the playoff hunt.