Carolina Panthers 2010s all-decade offense
By Luke Tucker
Tight End
Greg Olsen
Without question the greatest tight end in Panthers history, Greg Olsen’s spot on the all-decade team is a no-brainer. From 2014-2016, Olsen was perhaps the most dominant tight end in the league, becoming the first at his position to ever post three-straight 1,000-yard seasons. Traded to Carolina prior to the start of the 2011 season, all nine of Olsen’s seasons with the Panthers have come in the current decade.
Since joining the team in 2011–Cam Newton’s rookie year–Olsen has piled up more than 6,400 yards and has scored 39 times. The only players with more receiving touchdowns in a Panthers uniform are Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, and Wesley Walls. As good as he’s been at catching the football, his ability as a blocker often gets overlooked. Since joining the Panthers, he has been one of the better blocking tight ends in the league, and on top of that, has served as an unquestioned leader in the Carolina locker room.
Unfortunately for Olsen and the Panthers, injuries have begun to take a toll on the 34-year-old. Both his 2017 and 2018 seasons were shortened by a nagging foot injury, and earlier this month, he suffered a concussion on a chilling helmet-to-helmet collision. It may be sooner rather than later that the beloved tight end makes his much-anticipated transition to the broadcast booth.