Seahawks’ Will Dissly Ready For Week 1?
When the Seahawks take the field in September, they’ll have multiple-time Pro Bowler Greg Olsen at tight end. They also expect to have a healthy Will Dissly ready to go, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Sign Greg Olsen]
Thanks to multiple injuries, Dissly has appeared in a grand total of ten games as a pro. Thankfully, the recent checkups on his torn Achilles have been promising.
Before he was shut down in October, Dissly managed 23 catches for 262 yards and four touchdowns in six games. The 2018 fourth-round draft pick from Washington has flashed serious potential to start both of his seasons and the Seahawks believe that he can build off of that and stay on the field in 2020.
The Seahawks signed Olsen on Tuesday, edging out the Bills and Redskins for his services. Seattle plans to feature both tight ends – sometimes in the same set – which could give opposing defenses fits. Dissly had 156 yards and two touchdowns in just four games in his first season as a pro in 2018.
Quarterback Russell Wilson lobbied hard for Olsen, who could help give him a reliable tight end target for the first time since Jimmy Graham‘s departure. Between Olsen (soon to be 35) and Dissly, the Seahawks should be well covered. Dissly has had some tough injury luck, and he tore his ACL as a rookie. Here’s to hoping he can stay healthy in 2020.
Seahawks Sign TE Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen‘s first free agency tour will produce a deal with the Seahawks. The veteran tight end will choose Seattle over Buffalo and Washington, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 13-year veteran agreed to a one-year, $7MM deal with the Seahawks, per Schefter, who adds this pact comes with $5.5MM guaranteed. The chance to play with Russell Wilson helped make Seattle a more attractive destination than those with ex-Panthers staffers in place, per Schefter (on Twitter).
Wilson has gone through a few tight ends since Jimmy Graham‘s departure. Ed Dickson experienced consistent injury troubles over the past two years; so has promising youngster Will Dissly. Olsen will add a proven weapon to Seattle’s pass-catching corps, coming in for his age-35 season.
The Seahawks last season were down both Dickson and Dissly, and they traded Nick Vannett to the Steelers early in the season. Jacob Hollister started both playoff games. Barring injury, Olsen will be in line to join Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf as one of Wilson’s top three targets next season. The Seahawks will be Olsen’s third team, following the Bears and Panthers.
In nine Carolina seasons, Olsen became one of the best players in franchise history. He eclipsed 1,000 yards en route to three Pro Bowls from 2014-16 and helped the Panthers to a 15-1 season that produced an NFC championship. Since coming into the league as a first-round pick out of Miami in 2007, Olsen has 8,444 receiving yards — third-most in the NFL among tight ends in that span.
Olsen, however, experienced significant foot trouble late in his Panthers tenure. Although Olsen played 14 games last season, he missed 16 games between the 2017-18 campaigns because of multiple foot maladies. This marks another injury-prone tight end on Seattle’s roster. The potentially rebuilding Panthers released Olsen, who had one more season left on his Carolina contract, earlier this month.
This will put Ron Rivera‘s Redskins in the market for another tight end and may move Sean McDermott‘s Bills to pursue one as well. FOX will need to delay plans to hire Olsen for one of its Sunday broadcast teams as well. The network has used Olsen for multiple broadcasts late in his career and made him an offer to join full-time this offseason.
Latest On Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen‘s free agency tour has come to an end after three stops, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The tight end is currently in negotiations with the Bills, Redskins, and Seahawks, and he will not be meeting with any other teams. 
The Panthers parted ways with Olsen earlier this offseason in yet another signal that they are prepared for a total rebuild. This, of course, came weeks after the dismissal of longtime head coach Ron Rivera. Soon, the Panthers’ revamp may result in the release of one-time MVP quarterback Cam Newton.
Back to Olsen – the veteran has rebuffed numerous offers from multiple networks who are hoping to lure him into the broadcast booth. Instead, he’s intent on playing at least one more season in the NFL with an eye on contending for a championship. If winning is Olsen’s priority, one has to think that the Seahawks would be at the top of his wishlist.
The Bills and Redskins also hold appeal for Olsen, who will turn 35 in March. In Buffalo, Olsen could be a key part of the offense and siphon snaps from youngster Dawson Knox. With the Redskins, Olsen would get to rejoin longtime mentor Ron Rivera. Depending on how things shake out in D.C., it could even be a full-fledged reunion. The Redskins cut Josh Norman on Friday, but they could fill their void at cornerback by pivoting to James Bradberry, who spent the last four years in Carolina.
At this stage, Olsen is no longer a top-flight tight end. However, he was still reasonably productive last season and it’s clear that he still has some gas in the tank and fire in his belly. For his career, Olsen has notched 718 catches, 8,444 receiving yards and 59 touchdowns.
Greg Olsen Expected To Sign With NFL Team This Week
Greg Olsen is almost ready to make his free agent decision. By the end of the week, the tight end expects to choose his next NFL squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Olsen kicked off his free agent tour by meeting with the Bills last week. Today, he’ll huddle up with the Redskins before moving on to the Seahawks on Wednesday.
It has been said that Olsen is also weighing a jump to broadcasting, but from the sound of it, the tight end will be staving off retirement for another offseason. Olsen has garnered lucrative offers from both ESPN and FOX over the years, so it stands to reason that those opportunities will be there waiting for him, whenever he’s ready to hang ’em up.
The Seahawks would probably represent Olsen’s best chance to win a Super Bowl ring, but the Bills and Redskins also have a lot to offer. With the Bills, Olsen would have an opportunity to pair with the young and promising Josh Allen and occupy a significant role in the offense. The Redskins, meanwhile, would allow him to reunite with Ron Rivera, the longtime Panthers coach that guided him to a streak of three 1,000-yard seasons and multiple Pro Bowl appearances.
Olsen, 35 in March, has notched 718 catches for 8,444 yards and 59 touchdowns over the course of his career. Last year, he had an uncharacteristically quiet season with the Panthers – 52 grabs, 597 yards, and just two touchdowns in 14 games.
Seahawks To Stick With Jason Myers?
On Friday, a large chunk of Jason Myers‘ salary became guaranteed for the 2020 season, as ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter) notes. With that, Myers should enter the core of the offseason as the Seahawks’ presumptive kicker. 
Myers joined up with the Seahawks on a four-year, ~$16MM deal last March. He went on to make 82.1% of his field goals – a step down from his career average and a significant drop from his 91.7% connection rate with the Jets in 2018. In that season with Gang Green, Myers earned his first ever trip to the Pro Bowl.
The Seahawks tend to steer players towards injury-only guarantees that become fully guaranteed in each offseason. That was the case with Myers, who locked in $1.5MM of his $2.6MM base salary for 2020 this week. Ditto for bigger names, including Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, and Tyler Lockett.
For his career, Myers has made 83.9% of his field goal tries and 88.5% of his extra point attempts. Over the last five seasons, he’s appeared in 70 games for the Jaguars, Jets, and Seahawks.
Redskins Visit Up Next For Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen finished up his Bills visit on Thursday morning, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Olsen, who isn’t in any particular rush to sign, left without a deal. His next visit will be with the Redskins, followed by the Seahawks. 
The order of Olsen’s three visits may or may not be an indicator of his preference. The Bills would make some sense for Olsen – they’re not high on anyone’s list of Super Bowl contenders for 2020, but they do have a talented young quarterback in Josh Allen and Olsen could provide him with a better security blanket than rising NFL sophomore Dawson Knox.
Ditto for the Redskins – expectations aren’t high in D.C., but they would give Olsen an opportunity to reunite with old friend Ron Rivera. Of course, the two were together for years in Carolina, where Olsen went on a tear of three straight 1,000-yard seasons. No one knows what’s in store for Jordan Reed after a scary number of concussions; Olsen can help them fortify that position and possibly take over as the TE1, if needed.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, are in a better position to win right away. And, with serious uncertainty around their tight end situation, Olsen would be a logical fit. Will Dissly might not be 100% after his Achilles tear and Ed Dickson could be a cap casualty in the coming weeks. Beyond those two, Luke Willson is scheduled for free agency in March and Jacob Hollister will be a restricted free agent.
There will probably be more teams beyond those three with interest in Olsen. Earlier this week, Olsen said that he’d like to hear from the Bears – his first NFL team – but hasn’t been in touch with them since his release from the Panthers.
Greg Olsen To Visit Seahawks
Greg Olsen will visit the Seahawks as a part of his free agency tour, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. As previously reported, Olsen will also be checking in with the Bills and Redskins as he weighs his options. 
[RELATED: Greg Olsen To Visit Redskins, Bills]
Olsen, 35 in March, parted ways with the Panthers earlier this winter. The veteran wasn’t interested in being a part of a rebuild and the Panthers elected to cut him loose in order to save $8.1MM against the cap.
Olsen might not be quite as effective as he was during his prime years, but he still profiles as a productive vet who could be of use in Seattle. The Seahawks aren’t quite sure what they’ll have in Will Dissly, who is coming off of a torn Achilles tendon. Meanwhile, Ed Dickson could be released in a cost-cutting move, Luke Willson is headed towards the open market, and Jacob Hollister will be an RFA.
Olsen caught 52 passes for 597 yards and two touchdowns in 2019, showing that he can still play at his advanced age. He was also healthy, for the most part – he appeared in 14 games after missing a combined 16 contests between 2017 and 2018.
Before the injuries, Olsen was one of the league’s most consistent and reliable tight ends. Olsen topped 1,000 yards receiving in three straight seasons and was a no-brainer choice for the Pro Bowl in each of those campaigns.
2020 Draft Order
Super Bowl LIV is in the books, which means the order for the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is set. By virtue of their 31-20 win Sunday night, the Chiefs will have the final pick in the first round. The 49ers dropping to 5-2 in Super Bowls will result in the NFC champions approaching the podium at No. 31.
Here is the full first-round order:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)
29. Titans (9-7)
30. Packers (13-3)
31. 49ers (13-3)
32. Chiefs (12-4)
Russell Wilson On Seahawks’ Free Agency
The Seahawks’ 2019 campaign ended in the divisional round of the playoffs, but they were neck-and-neck with the NFC champion 49ers for the entire season before slipping to a wildcard spot in Week 17. They have a talented roster, a star quarterback, and more financial flexibility than they’ve had in years, and Russell Wilson wants them to take advantage of that flexibility.
“I think we need a couple more (players),” Wilson told ESPN earlier this week (h/t Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). “I think we need a couple more. (Defensive end) Jadeveon (Clowney) is a big-time guy that we would love to get back on our football team. He was so good in the locker room. He brought so many just havoc plays to the field. Hopefully, we can get a few other players there on the defense.”
Seattle head coach Pete Carroll had previously expressed his desire to bring Clowney back, and the club surely wants to re-sign Jarran Reed. But Carroll also said he wants to keep the O-line intact, while Wilson may privately disagree. The Seahawks graded out 30th in pass blocking and 14th in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus, and the PFF grades for their pending FA O-linemen were all below average.
In addition to his comments regarding defensive reinforcements, Wilson talked about the offensive side of the ball. “Then also on offense, we have a great offense, but I think we can always add more pieces,” Wilson said. “Free agency is very, very key to getting those superstars on your team and try to get great players that can fill the space.”
As far as outside free agents that could represent upgrades to the offensive line, Packers RT Bryan Bulaga and Saints G Andrus Peat could be available. Unfortunately, Seattle may continue to struggle upgrading the tight end position, as Austin Hooper looks like the only top-tier TE that could hit the open market, unless someone can pry Hunter Henry away from the Chargers.
In any event, Wilson’s willingness to speak openly about his team’s free agency plans is a bit of a rarity for him, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and it underscores the urgency that the six-time Pro Bowler is feeling as he prepares for his ninth season in the league.
Quinton Jefferson To Undergo Surgery
- Seahawks defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson suffered a standard Jones fracture during last Sunday’s loss to the Packers (via Pelissero on Twitter). Jefferson will undergo surgery, and the eight-week recovery time should have him healthy right before free agency begins. The 26-year-old had another productive season in Seattle, compiling 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 14 games (12 starts).