Greg Olsen will be Russell Wilson’s new best friend in Seahawks offense

Greg Olsen is heading to the Seattle Seahawks for the 2020 season and the veteran tight end will be Russell Wilson’s best friend in the offense.

After nine years in Carolina, veteran tight end Greg Olsen and the Panthers agreed to part ways early in the 2020 offseason. Olsen immediately began taking visits with potential suitors given his ability to sign before the new league year and when 2020 NFL free agency begins in March. And on Tuesday, he found his new home: the Seattle Seahawks.

Olsen agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract with $5.5 million guaranteed to play for the Seahawks, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The veteran pass-catcher who spent nine years with the Panthers following a four-year stint in Chicago to start his career had interest from Washington and Buffalo as well but ultimately went with Seattle.

Turning 35 years old in March, Olsen is very much no longer in his prime. So the Seahawks, despite the relatively steep price tag, shouldn’t be expecting that from their new acquisition. Having said that, Olsen can be a valuable addition to this offense, particularly in aiding quarterback Russell Wilson.

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Though Olsen has dealt with injuries over the past few seasons, he’s been reliable when on the field. For Cam Newton and even Kyle Allen, the tight end was an ever-present safety valve and checkdown option available to just get positive yardage and help the offense keep moving.

That element is something that the Seahawks, for as many things as Wilson did well this past season, lacked consistently. When you look at the three leading wide receivers for Seattle — Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and David Moore — all three averaged more than 12.5 yards per reception. And while tight end Jacob Hollister put up 41 catches for 349 yards and three scores in 11 games, he was far from a reliable checkdown in the offense.

Make no mistake, Wilson and the Seahawks passing offense is at its best when they’re taking shots down the field. However, that’s not going to be open on every play. In the same vein, it’s also easy to take advantage of the defense deep when they have to respect the short and intermediate areas of the field.

That’s what Olsen will bring to the table for the Seahawks. Frankly, he’ll be a breath of fresh air for Wilson and the Seahawks by doing so as well. The veteran brings an element to the Seattle offense that they haven’t had recently and that will ultimately make their biggest strengths even more effective consistently.

Throw in Olsen’s blocking ability and it’s obvious why Pete Carroll’s club was so aggressive in trying to sign and paying the tight end. If he can stay healthy — admittedly not a certainty given his recent history and age — Olsen will simply make the Seahawks offense more dynamic and Wilson more effective. That’s a dangerous proposition for the rest of the NFL.