MrSoup
Footballguy
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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The rapport between new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and talented tight end Greg Olsen has continued to grow stronger with each passing day.
Jay Cutler has developed a strong bond with new Bears teammate Greg Olsen.
It’s certainly evident on the field, where the two connect on a slew of completions seemingly in every practice. That was the case again Wednesday when Cutler opened 7-on-7 drills by zipping a pass over the middle to Olsen, who plucked the ball out of the air with safety Kevin Payne draped all over him. Cutler later completed two passes to Olsen in a two-minute drill, setting up a field goal.
“We have a good feel for what each other likes to do and just making different adjustments on the field on the fly,” Olsen said. “We’re just going to continue to be on the same page and as more of the offense gets installed, we’ll continue to work at it and take it on into the preseason and then into the first game.
“I think it’s important to have a pretty good rapport with each other, especially on the field. A lot of that has to do with continuing to come out every day and work together and talk and communicate, and that’s just what we’ve done.”
Cutler has been impressed with Olsen, a 6-5, 255-pounder who possesses a rare combination of speed, size and good hands.
“You don’t find it very often with a guy with that kind of motor and as big as he is and just the way he adjusts to balls,” Cutler said. “A lot of guys that big are kind of stiff and they can’t really do some of the things he can. He’s a huge target and we have to use him the right way.
“When you watch him, you see a lot of talent. There are very few things he can’t do on a football field as far as running routes and blocking. We’ve just got to be careful and not overload him and put him in good spots where he can make some plays and get some match-ups that we really like.”
Olsen, a 2007 first-round pick, blossomed in his second season last year, catching 54 passes for 574 yards and five touchdowns. No Bears tight end other than Mike Ditka has ever had more receptions in a season.
Expectations are even higher for Olsen this year because he has supplanted Desmond Clark as the starter and has formed a bond with a Pro Bowl quarterback in Cutler.
“Greg Olsen, I think he’s a special football player,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Every day he does something that makes you look twice.
“We’ve seen the same thing each [training] camp out of Greg. He’s a great athlete. He’s in a different role this year, so we’re getting a chance to see him in a difference place. But it seems like whenever we’ve thrown him the ball, he’s been able to make plays—and we’re getting him the ball more now.”
Entering his third season, Olsen has never possessed a firmer grasp of the Bears offense.
“We’re a week into training camp and I feel pretty good and a lot of it has to do with being more confident because it’s my third year,” Olsen said. “As guys get more comfortable, they are able to go out and just do what they have to do instead of thinking about it.”
Olsen likes the way that Cutler communicates with his teammates in the huddle and feels that that interaction will greatly benefit the offense.
“You can come up to him and say, ‘Hey, what did you see on this play, what were you thinking?’” Olsen said. “Maybe we didn’t connect and maybe I didn’t exactly go where he was anticipating.
“The more you talk and communicate about it, the next time that situation comes up you know you’ll hit it. That’s why we’re out here practicing. You’re not going to get it right the first time every time, but you’ve got to make sure when that situation comes up the next time you click.”
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The rapport between new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and talented tight end Greg Olsen has continued to grow stronger with each passing day.
Jay Cutler has developed a strong bond with new Bears teammate Greg Olsen.
It’s certainly evident on the field, where the two connect on a slew of completions seemingly in every practice. That was the case again Wednesday when Cutler opened 7-on-7 drills by zipping a pass over the middle to Olsen, who plucked the ball out of the air with safety Kevin Payne draped all over him. Cutler later completed two passes to Olsen in a two-minute drill, setting up a field goal.
“We have a good feel for what each other likes to do and just making different adjustments on the field on the fly,” Olsen said. “We’re just going to continue to be on the same page and as more of the offense gets installed, we’ll continue to work at it and take it on into the preseason and then into the first game.
“I think it’s important to have a pretty good rapport with each other, especially on the field. A lot of that has to do with continuing to come out every day and work together and talk and communicate, and that’s just what we’ve done.”
Cutler has been impressed with Olsen, a 6-5, 255-pounder who possesses a rare combination of speed, size and good hands.
“You don’t find it very often with a guy with that kind of motor and as big as he is and just the way he adjusts to balls,” Cutler said. “A lot of guys that big are kind of stiff and they can’t really do some of the things he can. He’s a huge target and we have to use him the right way.
“When you watch him, you see a lot of talent. There are very few things he can’t do on a football field as far as running routes and blocking. We’ve just got to be careful and not overload him and put him in good spots where he can make some plays and get some match-ups that we really like.”
Olsen, a 2007 first-round pick, blossomed in his second season last year, catching 54 passes for 574 yards and five touchdowns. No Bears tight end other than Mike Ditka has ever had more receptions in a season.
Expectations are even higher for Olsen this year because he has supplanted Desmond Clark as the starter and has formed a bond with a Pro Bowl quarterback in Cutler.
“Greg Olsen, I think he’s a special football player,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Every day he does something that makes you look twice.
“We’ve seen the same thing each [training] camp out of Greg. He’s a great athlete. He’s in a different role this year, so we’re getting a chance to see him in a difference place. But it seems like whenever we’ve thrown him the ball, he’s been able to make plays—and we’re getting him the ball more now.”
Entering his third season, Olsen has never possessed a firmer grasp of the Bears offense.
“We’re a week into training camp and I feel pretty good and a lot of it has to do with being more confident because it’s my third year,” Olsen said. “As guys get more comfortable, they are able to go out and just do what they have to do instead of thinking about it.”
Olsen likes the way that Cutler communicates with his teammates in the huddle and feels that that interaction will greatly benefit the offense.
“You can come up to him and say, ‘Hey, what did you see on this play, what were you thinking?’” Olsen said. “Maybe we didn’t connect and maybe I didn’t exactly go where he was anticipating.
“The more you talk and communicate about it, the next time that situation comes up you know you’ll hit it. That’s why we’re out here practicing. You’re not going to get it right the first time every time, but you’ve got to make sure when that situation comes up the next time you click.”
