The Chicago Bears’ needs at tight end are obvious.
Greg Olsen, a tight end, is a free agent without a team (with a history in Chicago).
And yet, the two haven’t made a connection.
Greg Olsen on the Bears interest in him. "I'll be honest in my heart I was hoping they would have been one of the first calls. To my knowledge we have not heard from them. Whether or not they do or not is hard to say."
— ESPN 1000 (@ESPN1000) February 4, 2020
In an interview on ESPN 1000, Olsen said his representation has not yet heard from the Chicago Bears (at all), even though he was hoping they’d not only call, but actually be one of the first to pick up the phone.
Instead, Olsen has reportedly received interest from Washington, Seattle, and Buffalo.Whether the Bears will touch base with him in the future is unknown, but kicking the tires on the veteran tight end could be a good move for this organization.
Olsen is a three-time Pro Bowler and two time second-team All-Pro. He has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and six years in which he has caught at least 60 passes. And while injuries have caused Olsen to miss 18 games over the last three seasons, he is still a competent player at a position the Bears simply did not have enough competent players. So long as the Bears don’t expect Olsen to show up in his age 35 season and play like he did when he was 29, 30, or 31, a fit in Chicago isn’t inconceivable.
Of course, the price would probably have to be right for both sides to come to a deal (fortunately, his interest in hearing from Chicago is a good sign that a reasonable deal could be worked out, if it came to it).
Ultimately, all you need to know for now is that Olsen – clearly – does not want to rule out a reunion with the Bears. But since free agency doesn’t open up until next month, we’ll keep an eye out to see if Chicago reaches out to an old friend in an effort to patch up a position group that needs some work.