Why Don't the Bears Just Make Greg Olsen A Wide Receiver?

MOUTHPIECE's Ryan Corazza has a good post today on Greg Olsen maybe or maybe not wanting to get traded and the Bears maybe or maybe not accommodating him.

This all stems from the Bears hiring of Mike Martz to coordinate the offense, a man whose system has never taken advantage of the tight end -- not even a young Vernon Davis. Martz likes his tight ends to block, and G-Reg don't block. Everyone should know that by now.

So Olsen - did you know TUP is a reference on his Wikipedia page? - is somewhat understandably miffed. He might even want to "show his third leg" to another city. Sad times.

From Peggy Kusinski of NBC Chicago:

Friends of the Bears TE say he was not happy about the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike Martz and quietly sent his agent Drew Rosenhaus into "trade request" mode. Now it appears the Bears may have some takers in the Arizona Cardinals or New England Patriots.

But, according to the Sun-Times' Sean Jensen, maybe the Bears aren't shopping Olsen. Whatever. There's clearly a a problem here, and luckily for Halas Hall, I've got a solution.

Move Olsen to wide receiver.

I actually like the Bears' stable of receivers - Hester is arguably my favorite football player ever, Aromashodu has me cautiously optimistic, and Johnny Knox was impressive as a rookie. It's reasonable to think they all stand to improve next season. But the Bears still need another playmaker on the outside to take this offense to the next level. Everyone knows this, it's pretty much written in stone at this point.

Unfortunately, there just aren't a lot of great options available. As MJD noted, Brandon Marshall probably ain't happenin'. Anquan Boldin? The Bears went through that song and dance last year, unsuccessfully.

So if it's a receiver the Bears need, why not look internally?  There are probably only a handful of tight ends that could play wide out in the NFL, but Olsen is one of the them.

Olsen ran a 4.51 at the combine, one of the fastest times ever for a tight end. We know he doesn't like to block either, and hey, at receiver, he wouldn't have to. Just run right down that seam and let your bro Jay throw it up there for you.

Another plus for Olsen: his size.

It's funny how Aromashodu is constantly lauded by Cutler and the coaching staff for being "big". Aromashodu is 6'2, 200 lbs. That's decent size, but only "big" when you compare him to the rest of the Bears' midget pass catchers. Olsen would offer real size to a passing game that needs it.

Is this the guy the Bears really want to trade? If a second round pick is all that's coming back, I don't see the point. The Bears would just screw up the pick anyways.

So yeah: Olsen, Bears, wide receiver. Make it happen, crazy person.