Why the Bears SHOULD Trade Greg Olsen

(Picture from http://www.3.bp.blogspot.com/)

After doing my rounds of searching the web for trade related stories, I read something interesting that got me thinking about the future of the Chicago Bears. There are apparently some reports saying that the Bears could be dangling Greg Olsen in front of teams in dire need of a pass catching tight end. With the loss of Gaines Adams and the trade for Jay Cutler, the Bears don’t have a first and second round pick, making it hard to make any drastic changes to a team that needs a lot of them (unless your Jerry Angelo, in which case you think the offense is fine). This would have sounded absurd last year, considering Olsen was supposed to be the next Dallas Clark and Jay Cutler was going to be his Peyton Manning and his accusation was supposed transcend the two into a universe never seen before (at least in Chicago). So why is Greg an option to go? Two words, one name, Mike Martz.


As I said before, I was thinking about this possibility still not sure if I would want to see Olsen go. That is until I read these stats about Mike Martz’ offenses and the use of the tight end. In 2006, Jon Kitna completed 372 passes for 4,208 yards and 21 touchdowns for Detroit. The leading tight end was Dan Campbell with 21 receptions for 308 total yards and four touchdowns. In 2007, Kitna completed 355 passes for 4,068 yards and 18 touchdowns for Detroit. Sean McHugh was the leading tight end with 17 receptions for 252 yards and no touchdowns. In 2008, Shaun Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan combined for 309 completions for 3,724 yards and 21 touchdowns. Vernon Davis (a Pro Bowler this year) had 31 receptions for 358 yards and two touchdowns (this year VD has 78 receptions, 965 yards and 13 touchdowns).

I think we can all agree that Greg Olsen is no freak like Vernon Davis, but he is significantly better than Dan Campbell. So some might think that those three seasons were a fluke, so I challenge those who think this to look back to the St. Louis days and name the tight end that started during the “Greatest Show on Turf”. Sure you can name Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Marshall Faulk, but who was the tight end? His name, Ernie Conwell, a tight end that was mostly used as a blocker (a weapon that is missing from Greg Olsen’s arsenal).

This doesn’t seem to be a three year thing of not using a tight end, this seems to be Martz’ style of offense. So to me I think trading Greg Olsen for the right price makes a ton of sense. Things may be different for the Bears considering Jay Cutler is no Jon Kitna or Kurt Warner. So let’s say the Bears can nab a second and third round draft pick for Olsen, why wouldn’t they do that? They are notorious for making great picks in the later rounds of the draft (Johnny Knox and Devin Hester) and for butchering the first rounder (Chris Williams and his mysterious injuries for example). So my question is what can Olsen do that the tandem of Des Clark and Kellen Davis can’t? Is he worth more than what the Bears could get from another team? I don't think so.

I, along with most other Bear fans, want those draft picks back. There should be a ton of options to even package someone with Olsen to fill the many holes in the Bears game. Let’s say the Bears could send Urlacher and Olsen to the Patriots for Gary Guyton (85 total tackles) and one of their three second-round draft picks, or even two second rounders, wouldn’t you do that in a heart beat? I wouldn't even have to think about it. The Bears have some pieces together, but are still in need of other and I just don’t see Greg Olsen making them any better or worse.