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Greg Olsen

NFC Notes: Rodgers, Panthers, Elliott, Cards

July 18th, 2017 at 1:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Packers have not discussed a contract extension for Aaron Rodgers with his agent, David Dunn, the quarterback told a Milwaukee TV station last week (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). Given that Rodgers still has three years left on the deal he signed in 2013, the Packers don’t have to work anything out imminently. However, on the possibility of Rodgers becoming the NFL’s highest-paid player again in the near future, team president Mark Murphy admitted to Demovsky, “You need to plan for it.” Unsurprisingly, Murphy added that the franchise regards re-upping the two-time league MVP as a priority. Rodgers topped all NFLers when he signed his five-year, $110MM deal four years ago, but salaries around him have increased significantly. As a result, the 33-year-old is set to rake in just the sixth-highest amount at his own position this season ($22MM).

More from the NFC:

  • Prior to his firing on Monday, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman wasn’t in a rush to sign linebacker Thomas Davis or tight end Greg Olsen to contract extensions, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. With Gettleman now out of the picture, Davis and Olsen could cash in over the next couple weeks, suggests Person, who relays that those two are owner Jerry Richardson’s favorite players. Given that Richardson’s running the show for the GM-less Panthers at the moment, he’s free to lock up the pair of veteran cornerstones.
  • While some of Carolina’s ex-players have taken pleasure in Gettleman’s ouster, current Panthers offensive tackle Michael Oher is upset over his departure. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Oher noted that Gettleman has been supportive of him during his nearly yearlong recovery from concussion issues, writing: “While on the plane headed to see Concussion specialist Mickey Collins I learned Dave Gettleman has been dismissed . . . this is news that I hated to hear . . . in this business you don’t build personal relationships but I can honestly say I had one with Mr. G . . . he is the only person Besides R. V (team trainer Ryan Vermillion) and Dr. Heyer who has constantly checked on my well being, condition and state of mind that I’ve been suffering from my injury. Guy really cares about you as a person just not the player . . . also is interested in how your family is as well . . . hated to hear that news but I know he’ll be fine . . . and for the people who were happy and had something do with it downstairs, Karma’s a MF!!”
  • In addition to the incident that transpired over the weekend, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is also facing a misdemeanor charge for speeding. He is appealing that conviction, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. The running back is accused of going 100 mph in a 70 mph zone back in April.
  • Tight end, cornerback and running back stand out as positions the Cardinals could address this summer, observes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Aside from starter Jermaine Gresham, the Cardinals lack established options at tight end, where Troy Niklas and Ifeanyi Momah have dealt with injuries and Hakeem Valles is coming off a rookie season spent mostly on special teams. The Cards may bolster their depth at corner, but they won’t make any Darrelle Revis-esque splashes in free agency, according to Somers. At running back, head coach Bruce Arians is seemingly content with Kerwynn Williams backing up superstar David Johnson, though there could be room for free agent Chris Johnson‘s return if Andre Ellington and the Cards’ young reserves don’t show well in the coming weeks, per Somers.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Latest On Panthers TE Greg Olsen

July 17th, 2017 at 9:30am CST by Zachary Links

When Panthers GM Dave Gettleman gets back from vacation this week, his first order of business will be to work on an extension with linebacker Thomas Davis, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Meanwhile, the team has not discussed a new deal with tight end Greg Olsen and Gettleman has yet to show any indication that he is willing to give him a reworked contract. Greg Olsen/Thomas Davis (vertical)

Olsen is hoping for a new deal that will reflect his status as one of the game’s most productive tight ends. The 32-year-old is scheduled to earn base salaries of $6.5MM in the next two seasons while counting for $10.35MM and $9.75MM on the Panthers’ salary cap in those respective years. The three-year extension that Olsen signed prior to the 2015 season included a $12MM signing bonus, so the Panthers might not be so quick to give him additional money for the next two years.

Recently, when discussing his contract situation, Olsen did not rule out the possibility of a training camp holdout. Over the weekend, agent Drew Rosenhaus also hinted at the possibility, cautioning that players like Olsen do not want to “exercise” their “leverage” unless it’s necessary. If Olsen skips camp, he’ll be docked $40K for every day he misses.

Davis, 34, said earlier this summer that he is hoping for an extension that will take him beyond 2017. The veteran is coming off of his second straight Pro Bowl appearance after totaling 106 tackles, three picks, and two fumble recoveries.

Latest On Greg Olsen Negotiations

July 15th, 2017 at 9:59am CST by Ben Levine

We’ve heard whispers over the past month that Panthers tight end Greg Olsen was seeking a new contract, and the three-time Pro Bowler later suggested that he could consider holding out. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, discussed his client’s “leverage” during his appearance on PFT Live with Mike Florio yesterday.

Greg Olsen (vertical)“It’s still a one-sided negotiation,” Rosenhaus said. “I’m really hopeful that the Panthers organization will take a hard look at it. Greg’s a really unique player and a really unique person in the community. There are times when you would love for a team to look at a guy’s contract and renegotiate. As a player, you don’t want to exercise your leverage if you don’t have to. We want to keep things very positive, and hopefully the team comes around and can get something worked out.”

When asked outright if Olsen would hold out, Rosenhaus said “[t]hat’s something that Greg and I would have to continue to talk about.”

Back in 2015, Olsen signed a $22.5MM extension (with $12MM guaranteed) that would last through the 2018 season. Since that time, the tight end has averaged 78 catches, 1088 yards, and five touchdowns per year. The 32-year-old has a $10.35MM cap hit in 2017 and $9.75MM in 2018, although his “total cash earned” over the next two seasons is outside of the top-5 among the league’s tight ends.

Back in June, Olsen was adamant that negotiations were not contentious between the two sides.

“This is not by any means a toxic environment or a situation where the two sides seem fighting or anything like that,” he said. “Has nothing to do with that. It’s just strictly, business should reflect productivity, in our opinion.”

As our own Zach Links pointed out, the Panthers might be more willing to extend the tight end instead of reworking the final two years of his contract. This would allow the organization to have better control over his upcoming cap hits, and it’d also provide Olsen with some extra money (and future job security). On the flip side, the Panthers might just be content making one of their stars happy.

Panthers’ Greg Olsen Not Ruling Out Holdout

June 21st, 2017 at 7:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has already indicated his desire for a new contract, and during today’s appearance on Adam Schefter’s Know Them From Adam podcast, Olsen didn’t rule out the idea of skipping training camp in an effort to land a reworked deal.Greg Olsen (Vertical)

“I think it’s early right now,” Olsen said regarding a training camp holdout. “As the summer goes on and we get some feedback from the organization on how they feel, we’ll make the best decision we can. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that we feel very strongly about where we should be in that totem pole of top tight ends. I’d be hard pressed to find anybody who could make a reasonable argument to the contrary.

“This is not a negative environment,” Olsen added. “I’ve gone to all the OTAs, to all the minicamps. This is not by any means a toxic environment or a situation where the two sides seem fighting or anything like that. Has nothing to do with that. It’s just strictly, business should reflect productivity, in our opinion.”

Olsen, 32, agreed to a three-year, $22.5MM extension prior to the 2015 campaign, and since that time has continued to produce as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. During that two-year span, Olsen has ranked first among tight ends in receiving yards and approximate value while finishing a close second in receptions. He’s topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past two years, and has maintained his status as the most reliable weapon in Carolina’s offense.

Olsen’s $7.5MM annual average salary currently places him seventh among tight ends, just behind the likes of Charles Clay and Zach Ertz, while the Seahawks’ Jimmy Graham leads the way at $10MM/year. Olsen is scheduled to earn base salaries of $6.5MM from 2017-18 while counting for $10.35MM and $9.75MM on the Panthers’ salary cap in those respective ye

Panthers TE Greg Olsen Seeking New Deal

June 14th, 2017 at 8:33am CST by Zachary Links

Greg Olsen has outperformed his contract and he would like a new one. The Panthers tight end, signed through 2018, wants a deal that would pay him like a top tight end in the NFL, sources tell Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Greg Olsen (vertical)

Prior to the 2015 season, Olsen agreed to a three-year,$22.5MM extension with $12MM guaranteed. Since then, Olsen has turned in two 1,000+-yard seasons, making it three in a row. His cap numbers of $10.35MM and $9.75MM in the next two seasons are nothing to sneeze at, but it’s easy to understand why Olsen is looking for a revised deal now instead of waiting two more years.

Olsen currently stands as one of the league’s best tight ends, but he’ll turn 34 at the start of 2019 free agency. The Panthers don’t necessarily want to rework Olsen’s deal at this point, but they might be willing to do an extension that will smooth out Olsen’s cap hits over the next two years while giving him some guaranteed cash in additional seasons. It might also behoove Carolina to keep one of its biggest stars happy, though Olsen isn’t the type to make a stink over his contract. Even as he discussed his desire for a new deal, Olsen was nothing but polite.

“In the ideal world, that’d be great,” Olsen said when asked about getting a reworked contract. “I’m very confident on where I stand in the league and where I belong. Both productivity and all things considered, there’s nobody that’s been more productive or more consistent than I have. And I’ll stand on that until the cows come home…You can make of that what you may. I feel comfortable with where I belong, and hopefully other people do, too.”

Olsen’s $7.5MM per-year average makes him the seventh-highest paid tight end in the NFL, according to Over The Cap. Meanwhile, he’s 12th among TEs when it comes to guaranteed money.

South Notes: Weatherspoon, Colts, Saints

March 6th, 2015 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

As the 2015 free agent period inches a little closer, let’s check in on a few Friday mornings items from around the league’s two South divisions….

  • ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons reached an agreement on a new contract with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon very soon. Weatherspoon, who missed the entire 2014 campaign with a ruptured Achilles, is due to hit the open market next week.
  • Former Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans is paying a visit to the Colts today, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com (via Twitter). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that there are other teams interested in bringing in Herremans for visits, but Indianapolis is first on his schedule.
  • The Saints don’t plan to extend an RFA tender to defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker, a league source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. One of three potential restricted free agents for the club, Walker is still drawing interest from New Orleans, but the team would prefer to bring him back at a lesser rate. According to Triplett, running back Travaris Cadet and offensive tackle Bryce Harris may ultimately be in the same boat, with the cap-strapped Saints potentially unwilling to make an offer of $1.5MM+ to either player.
  • Greg Olsen‘s new deal with the Panthers is an extension that adds three new years from 2016 to 2018, but it will still have an impact on his 2015 cap hit. According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Carolina created $1.5MM in cap room with the move, reducing Olsen’s cap number from $7.8MM to $6.3MM.

Panthers Extend Greg Olsen Through 2018

March 5th, 2015 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have reached an agreement with tight end Greg Olsen on a new contract extension that will keep Olsen under team control through the 2018 season, the club announced today in a press release. Olsen had been scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency a year from now.

“It’s really a dream come true,” Olsen said in a statement. “Since we’ve come to Charlotte, we very quickly realized that this is home. This community quickly embraced our family, so we put down roots here. We love it here. This is home for us. Now to have this contract that guarantees that I’ll play the rest of my career in Charlotte is a tremendous blessing. We’re just so thankful for the team believing in me and wanting me to still be a part of this. As a team, we have a lot of special times ahead of us.”

Olsen, who turns 30 next Wednesday, has been a consistent and durable part of the Panthers’ passing game since joining the team in 2011. He has increased his catch total in each of his four seasons with the team, grabbing 45 balls in 2011, followed by seasons of 69, 73, and 84 receptions. Those 84 catches this past year were a career high, to go along with his first 1,000-yard season.

On the heels of that career year, the Panthers have rewarded Olsen with a raise. The veteran tight end had been slated to earn a base salary of $5.25MM for 2015, and that part of the contract may remain intact. However, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the three new years on the deal are worth $22.5MM, and the agreement includes an impressive $12MM signing bonus.

NFC Mailbags: Rams, Panthers, Lions, Giants

January 31st, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at notes from ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

  • Even if the Rams end up re-signing wideout Kenny Britt, Nick Wagoner believes it wouldn’t be farfetched for the team to take a receiver with their first-round pick.
  • Greg Olsen would like to get an extension worked out before next season, and David Newton says it’d be wise for the Panthers to sign the tight end. The writer points out that signing Cam Newton is the team’s main priority, but re-signing Olsen is not far down the list.
  • Michael Rothstein writes that it’s “feasible” for the Lions to pay Ndamukong Suh more than J.J. Watt, but the writer notes that it would likely depend on the contract’s structure. Rothstein believes the team may have an eye towards the expected cap increases in future seasons, which means the team would prefer a backloaded contract.
  • Besides Jason Pierre-Paul, Dan Graziano isn’t entirely sure which of the Giants free agents the organization would want to re-sign. Antrel Rolle could return, but Graziano doesn’t expect the safety to take a discount. The writer has similar feelings toward safety Stevie Brown and defensive tackle Mike Patterson.

NFC Mailbags: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Olsen

November 1st, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN.com’s writers. Let’s start off the weekend with some interesting notes out of the NFC…

  • Michael C. Wright thinks that the Bears may not be enamored with the 2015 contracts of Shea McClellin and Lance Briggs. Briggs’ injury history and McClellin’s inflated salary could make both of the linebackers release candidates.
  • Rob Demovsky opines that the Packers should focus on their biggest need (inside linebacker) in the upcoming draft.
  • Meanwhile, Ben Goessling believes that the Vikings should focus on middle linebacker and safety in the draft. The writer also points to wide receiver and offensive line as areas of need.
  • When asked about Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula‘s job security, David Newton doesn’t give a definitive answer. However, he does question some of Shula’s play-calling, particularly his misuse of Greg Olsen.

NFC North Notes: Olsen, Bears, Suh, Lewis

October 1st, 2014 at 6:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings wide receiver Greg Jennings knows there’s a good chance he’ll get booed when he plays at Lambeau Field tomorrow night, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I can’t concern myself with that,” Jennings said. “I was on that side when Brett [Favre] came back, so I understand the reaction he got. So I don’t expect it to be anything better than that. I mean, it is what it is. I’m the opposition. I’m an opponent. I want to win.” Here’s more from the NFC North..

  • Greg Olsen was Jay Cutler‘s favorite target when the two were teamed up on the Bears, but he was ultimately dealt to the Panthers after the 2010 season for a third round pick. Even though that pick wound up being turned into Brandon Marshall via another trade, then GM Jerry Angelo admitted earlier today that trading Olsen was a mistake. “He’s met [expectations],” Angelo said on the “Kap and Haugh Show” Wednesday, as CSNChicago.com’s Tony Adracki writes. “It was a mistake to trade him. I understand he wasn’t the ideal fit in the scheme, but we let our best receiver go. Obviously, it was Cutler’s favorite receiver at the time, and we let him out the door.”
  • Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is refusing to talk about his 2015 plans and teammates say that the speculation hasn’t seeped into the locker room, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
  • It’s hard to picture Ray Lewis as anything but a Raven, but he was nearly drafted by the Packers in 1996, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Lewis was on the phone with the Green Bay front office at the time the Ravens were selecting, one spot ahead of the Packers. The Packers had scouted Lewis, a University of Miami product, heavily, but Ozzie Newsome swooped in and got him first.
  • In a speech at Marquette Law School, Packers president Mark Murphy admitted that the NFL has taken “a real hit in terms of credibility,” writes Bob Wolfley of the Journal Sentinel.