Chicago Bears: 5 recent players deserving of Hall of Fame

Tight End Greg Olsen

In a league where it is so difficult to find and develop an elite tight end (just ask fantasy football experts), Greg Olsen has become just that. There is no doubt that by the time he is eligible, Olsen will find himself wearing a gold jacket.

Olsen was drafted by the Bears in the first round (pick no. 31 overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft. Coming out of Miami, Olsen was arguably the best tight end in his draft class. He proved immediately that his speed was nothing to mess around with.

Olsen played four seasons with the Bears, finishing that portion of his career with 194 receptions for 1,981 yards and 20 touchdowns. If you never saw him as a Bear or do not remember, those numbers came while being severely underutilized in all but one season. In his 2009 campaign, he finished with 60 receptions and a career-high eight touchdowns.

Following his fourth season with the Bears, Olsen was traded to the Carolina Panthers because, well, the offense didn’t use tight ends a whole lot — at least, according to then-offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Trading Olsen, to this day, is one of the worst decisions the Bears have ever made. Currently, Olsen’s career résumé reads as follows: 639 receptions, 7,556 yards and 53 touchdowns.