Greg Olsen will report to camp with the rest of his teammates, according to the Charlotte Observer. The Panthers tight end has made it known that he wants a new contract, and one could make a strong case that he deserves it. The ten year veteran is coming off his third straight season with 1,000 yards receiving and is the only tight end in NFL history to accomplish that feat, as the Observer notes:
Olsen, the only tight end in NFL history to post three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, has two years left on his deal that will pay him $6.5 million in each of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Olsen, 32, ranks seventh among tight ends in terms of per-year average ($7.5 million) and 12th in guaranteed money ($12 million).
Clearly those contract rankings don’t align with Olsen’s production on the field. The $12 million guaranteed is less than contemporaries Coby Fleener, Jermaine Gresham, and Eric Ebron are getting. The $7.5 million annual salary is $100,000 below the salary that Charles Clay is receiving from the Bills.
Fortunately for the Panthers, Olsen won’t let his contract issues be another item on the team’s laundry list of off-field distractions. He’ll be at camp with his teammates, which is a welcoming bit of relieving news that Panthers fans have been desperate to hear.