Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is making a significant step towards an eventual return to the field. According to Joseph Pherson of the Charlotte Observer, Olsen is set to begin practicing next week to see how his injured right foot will do after undergoing surgery.
“I’m doing good. I’m starting to move around,” Olsen said Monday. “Start progressing here and … hopefully start getting on the field and doing some stuff by next week. And just take that next step. Everything’s going well.”
Olsen sustained a broken foot early in Week 2 during a matchup against the Buffalo Bills and was then put on the injured reserve list by Carolina.
While Olsen spends time on the sidelines, the Panthers are utilizing Ed Dickson as the stopgap solution at the tight end position, though he hasn’t been as reliable and consistent as his three-time Pro Bowler counterpart.
Carolina is sorely missing Olsen in the passing game despite the best efforts of Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, and Dickson. The Panthers are just 16th in the league with 221.9 yards in the air per game, while their red zone touchdown scoring percentage (42.86) is fourth worst overall.
The soonest Olsen could return to game action is on Nov. 26, a Week 12 showdown with the New York Jets.
Nevertheless, what plans and hopes Carolina has as far as a playoff push is concerned, the Panthers will certainly need the assistance of all the help it can get on the offensive side of the ball. Cam Newton can only do so much. More specifically, Cam Newton can only do so many things all by himself.
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