The Seahawks are getting a new tight end in the fold a month before free agency officially begins.
Former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has agreed to terms on a new contract with Seattle, a source conformed to 950 KJR. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Olsen will sign a one-year, $7 million deal that includes $5.5 million in guaranteed money.
Olsen was released by the Panthers on February 3 after spending the last nine seasons in Charlotte. Carolina is looking to rebuild their team under new head coach Matt Rhule and the two sides decided their interests no longer aligned. Olsen visited the Seahawks along with the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins following his release by the Panthers. Olsen had connections to both teams as Brandon Beane, the G.M. of the Bills, came to Buffalo from the Panthers while new Washington head coach Ron Rivera was Olsen's head coach in Carolina.
However, Olsen apparently decided that Seattle was the best fit to continue his career.
Olsen will turn 35 years old on March 11 and has missed 18 games combined over the last three seasons to injury. He did appear in 14 of 16 games for the Panthers last year. Olsen being released by the Panthers allowed him to be on the market now before free agency begins for players with expiring contracts on March 18.
The Seahawks are in need of depth at the tight end position and Olsen made plenty of sense as a target. Will Dissly is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon sustained in October. Jacob Hollister is scheduled to be a restricted free agent next month and Luke Willson is an unrestricted free agent.
Ed Dickson is still under contract for 2020 but is a likely salary cap cut this offseason as he missed all of last season to injury and the team could save nearly $4 million by releasing him, per OverTheCap.com. Dickson also came to Seattle after a lengthy stint in Carolina. The Seahawks will hope their luck with Olsen will be more productive.
Hollister will likely be tendered as a restricted free agent after a strong season in relief of Dissly, but the team needed to add more depth to the position.
Olsen has played 13 seasons in the NFL with his first four years coming with the Chicago Bears. Olsen is well-equipped as both a blocker and pass catcher. He's caught 718 passes for 8,444 yards and 59 touchdowns during his career with a trio of 1,000-yard seasons.
Photo Credit: SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 18: Greg Olsen #88 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 18, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)