Panthers news: Greg Olsen hoping to return from broken foot in 4-5 weeks

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is hoping to return from breaking the same bone he broke in his foot last year in just 4-5 weeks.

The Carolina Panthers have suffered a significant blow to their offense with Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen suffering a refracture to his surgically-repaired foot during the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Since then, there have been reports that Olsen is looking to make his return this season after allowing his foot to rest before making a return. According to Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network, Olsen is hoping he can return to the field in four or five weeks in order to get back in the field.

#Panthers will play without TE Greg Olsen today, but Olsen didn’t go on IR & put off surgery. I’m told he’s hoping to return in 4-5 weeks after breaking the same bone in his foot as last year. He’s doing everything possible to play quickly, then will reevaluate after the season.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2018

Olsen has been one of anchors offensively for the Panthers for much of time with the franchise as Pro Bowl quarterback Cam Newton's primary target in the passing game. Prior to the 2017 campaign, he had become the first tight end in league history to notch more than 1,000 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons. This had seen him record more than 60 catches in five straight years, which has put him among the most productive players at his position in the league. His absence now shifts the weight in the passing game over to the likes of Devin Funchess, rookie D.J. Moore, and Torrey Smith.

The approach that Olsen is taking to the situation is quite intriguing as his foot will still require surgery at some point down the road. He is simply trying to hold it off as much as possible in order to get back on the field at what could be near the halfway point of the regular season. There is no guarantee he will be able to work his way through the ailment that has now cost him significant playing time in the last two seasons.

This is a matter that the Panthers will likely keep a close eye on over the next month in order to get a better feel for where Olsen is at physically with his recovery.