After another career season, Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen is hoping that the Carolina Panthers will reward him with a restructured contract. Olsen, who has made it to the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons, is seventh in terms of pay, with an average of $7.5 million annual salary from the $22.5 million extension that he signed in 2015. When it comes to guaranteed money, Olsen is 12th among tight ends.
Currently, Jimmy Graham leads the pack with a $10 million annual salary while Travis Kelce is scheduled to pocket $9.4 million next season.
Jordan Reed is third with an annual salary of $9.35 million. Rob Gronkowski, Zach Ertz, and Charles Clay have annual earnings of $9 million, $8.5 million and $7.6 million, respectively. When it comes to consistency, Olsen said he’s the most productive tight end over the last five years, with three straight 1,000-yard seasons. "I'm very confident on where I stand in the league and where I belong,” Olsen told the Charlotte Observer.
Last season, Olsen played 16 games, catching 80 passes for 1.073 yards and three touchdowns. In 2015, Olsen tallied a career-best 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns on 77 catches. In 2014, he received 84 passes for 1,008 yards and six scores. Since 2012, Olsen has tallied 4,844 receiving yards, the highest among tight ends over that period.
Also, Olsen is known for his durability, not missing a game since sitting Weeks 1 and 2 in his rookie year with the Chicago Bears in 2007. In his career, Olsen caught 622 passes for 7,365 yards and 52 touchdowns. He also has 17 tackles in 11 seasons in the NFL.
Panthers coach: Olsen among NFL’s top tight end
According to Panthers coach Ron Rivera, the 32-year-old Olsen is right at the top of the best tight ends in the game.
Rivera praised Olsen for his Consistent play and he expects him to be one of the vital cogs of the Panthers this season. The Panthers’ coaching staff also think highly of Olsen, not just as a player, but also as an ideal team representative to the community.
Panthers not expected to give Olsen a restructured deal
While Olsen was outstanding in the past seasons with the Panthers, the team may not give in to his request for a restructured deal.
Dealing with a 32-year-old player like Olsen, the Panthers or any team for that matter will base their decision on future expectations rather than past performance. According to sources, the Panthers may sign Olsen to an incentive-laden deal rather than a lucrative contract extension.
