However, the good news is that in place of Olsen, the Bears today acquired former Pittsburgh Steeler tight end, Matt Spaeth.
Olsen was not known for his blocking skills, which is a key for any tight end in Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz's scheme. Spaeth will be a bigger cog in the offense than Olsen ever was, and can be a three-down player. Hopefully, the running game will see a renewed emphasis with the addition of Spaeth.
Many thought the Bears might move Olsen last year once Mike Martz was hired. Martz's complex offensive scheme relies very little on pass-catching tight ends, and Olsen's future with the Bears looked grim at that time. Add onto that Olsen's status as an unrestricted free agent as of next season, and you can see why the Bears would want to get something for him now rather than nothing later when he left voluntarily.
He had 60 catches and 8 touchdowns in the 2009 season, but his production declined in 2010 with 41 catches and 5 touchdowns. Yet the Bears made it to the NFL Championship Game.
Mike Martz is obviously making the calls on offense, and clearly felt he couldn't figure out how to utilize Olsen in his sytem. Olsen should be quite productive in Carolina, as he could become a very valuable asset to Cam Newton.
Fantasy winners in this trade: Greg Olsen in Carolina, Matt Forte in Chicago
| Matt Spaeth |
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