Bears tight end Greg Olsen admits that, when Mike Martz arrived as offensive coordinator, the 2007 first-round pick was concerned.
“The question that immediately arose was, ‘Where do tight ends fit in?’ I was right there; I wasn’t naive,’' Olsen told Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times. ''I know he’s one of the best coordinators [in the NFL]. For me, the track record wasn’t there. But I feel positive and optimistic, after conversations with him and what we’ve done on the field, that I’ll continue to have a big role in our offense like I have had the last couple of years.’'
Olson feels sufficiently confident about his role that he envisions never leaving Chicago.
''In this process, never once did I say publicly or privately that I didn’t want to be in Chicago,’' Olson said. ''If it were up to me, I’d play my entire career with the Bears. Obviously, there’s a lot more that goes into it than that. But I’ve enjoyed my first three years here, and I’ve gotten better each year, and I want to be a staple in this offense for years to come.’'
Still, any concerns Olson had were justified. Vernon Davis of the 49ers didn’t become one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league until after Martz left.