Russell Wilson Recruiting Pro Bowl Tight End for Seahawks

Russell Wilson Greg Olsen

Getty Greg Olsen is signing with the Seattle Seahawks.

Russell Wilson may not have won the MVP award but all was not lost at the NFL Honors as it looks like the Seahawks quarterback was doing a bit of recruiting for free agency. Former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen retweeted a photo of Cam Newton whispering something to Wilson at the event.

“What could Cam Newton be whispering to Russell Wilson?” Panthers assistant director of broadcasting Bill Voth tweeted.

Olsen retweeted the photo with his own clever answer to the tweet’s original question.

“Olsen can still play ?,” Olsen responded on Twitter.

Things got even more interesting after Wilson responded to Olsen’s tweet with a photo of them together.

“FACTS. #GoHawks ?,” Wilson tweeted.

It should be an interesting offseason for the Seahawks who are among the top ten teams with the most salary cap space to use during free agency. Fans can expect even more rumors in the coming months as free agency heats up. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Olsen already has meetings set up with the Bills and Redskins. It will be interesting to see if the Seahawks talk with the free-agent tight end.

“Former Panthers’ TE Greg Olsen will visit the Bills and Redskins this week, per source. Buffalo’s GM Brandon Beane used to be with Carolinas, as did Washington’s HC Ron Rivera,” Schefter tweeted.


The Panthers Released Greg Olsen Officially Making Him a Free Agent

The Panthers announced they were parting ways with Olsen but had to wait until after the Super Bowl to make the move. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the move has been made official, and Olsen is able to sign with the team of his choice.

“The release of #Panthers TE Greg Olsen is official, per the NFL’s transaction wire. So the veteran is a free agent and able to sign with a new team,” Rapoport noted on Twitter.

Could Olsen be a fit for the Seahawks or is this just Wilson stirring the pot? The Seahawks lost Will Dissly for the second straight season to injury. While the tight end is expected to make a recovery, it makes it difficult for the Seahawks to fully count on a player whose season has ended with injuries the past two years. The Seahawks were rumored to be in the market for a tight end at the trade deadline but opted not to pull the trigger. Jacob Hollister did step up and perform well in Dissly’s absence.

Olsen had 597 yards and two touchdowns last season playing in 14 games for the Panthers. The former Pro Bowler had three straight seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards from 2014 to 2016, but has struggled to stay healthy the past few seasons. Olsen played in seven games in 2017 and nine games in 2018. Olsen played in nearly every game this season for the Panthers but still battled injuries throughout 2019.

With Cam Newton missing the majority of the season, Olsen was not playing in an ideal situation. If the Seahawks could sign Olsen to a short-term deal, it would make some sense for Seattle to bring him in. Even if the Seahawks signed Olsen, the team would also likely need to add another tight end in either the draft or free agency.


Wilson Admitted the Seahawks Need a “Couple” More Players

We are only a few weeks into the Seahawks offseason, but Wilson has already been a little more vocal than normal. Wilson admitted that the team needed to add a “couple” more pieces in free agency during an ESPN interview conducted the week of the Pro Bowl.

“I think we need a couple more [players],” Wilson told ESPN during Pro Bowl week. “I think we need a couple more. Jadeveon is a big-time guy that we would love to get back on our football team. He was so good in the locker room. He brought so many, just havoc plays to the field. Hopefully, we can get a few other players there on the defense. Then also on offense, we have a great offense, but I think we can always add more pieces. I think that’s going to be the part that’s going to be great with John Schneider and Pete [Carroll], as well, in terms of this offseason’s free agency. Free agency is very, very key to getting those superstars on your team and try to get great players that can fill the space.”