Is Plaxico Burress worth the risk?

It’s an interesting option but if he isn’t what you want, then get what you want rather than changing what you’ve got.

I once had a Strat and wished I had a Les Paul. Whoops.

Let’s consider the depth chart… If you take Olsen off TE and put him at WR, your tight end depth chart is Kellen Davis, Brandon Manumaleuseless, and Dez Clark (uncertain). It opens the door for Dez to return with playing time, because I’m not sure we can trust the #1 TE to Davis as of yet. Of course, if Clark signs elsewhere, there’s a hole at tight end. Hey, maybe we can have Olsen pick some weight up, I bet he could play a good tight end…?

Move to the WR spot, you have Olsen, Knox, Hester, Bennett, Cereal (Fantuz Flakes), and Crash Davis (if he resigns).

I guess it’s workable; if you sign another receiver for depth, I guess that means either Fantuz “fails” his “tryout” or Davis isn’t invited back, which would hurt special teams further.

Why put him on the outside when he has more advantages inside? Rather than having a skilled CB who can out-jump, out-run, and out-manuever him, he matches up better versus less athletic safeties. Also, there isn’t a chance that he can run the proper routes with timing and execution that Martz demands. I think it’s a recipe for more INTs.

Measurables matter, but having the skill to play on the outside matter more. Burress or Rice or Jackson (speed) have the necessary body control to shield a defender. Not sure if Olsen is in their class because of their experience at wideout. Imo- he’s just fine where he is.

J/K (see Dave I remembered one of those abrv’s)

but Olsen seems like one of those guys who doesn’t “play fast”. He’s got good speed for a TE but he has always looked clumsy after he gets the ball, in my opinion.

There have always been guys who play at a different speed than their combine times. Remember when Jerry Rice came out of college, one of the things people said was that he didn’t have top end speed. I can’t ever remember him being caught from behind.

To me Olsen, if he moved to WR, would be just the opposite of that. Decent “time” but I can’t ever see him outrunning a DB.

In fact, I’m one of the biggest pitch fork wielders when they do it.

I’m just throwing the idea out there, without consideration for the other attempts. Of course, it has worked on occasion, as well. Izzy Idonije, most recently. Big Cat Williams is another example. Olsen would be similar to the Idonije move. Idonije stayed on the line, just moved from inside to outside. Olsen would also be making a move to the outside to do basically the same thing he’s always done. Catch the ball.

For the sake of discussion (since there’s not exactly much to discuss) I brought the point up. Olsen has every quality that Burress has, and in some cases, surpasses Burress. If that is the kind of receiver that the Bears need, then why not?

I already understadn the argument against musical chairs (I’ve written about it repeatedly).

I’m interested in why THIS move shouldn’t be made on it’s own merits.

146 receptions for 2148 yards and 12 touchdowns in 28 games. Also got his only Pro Bowl nod.

I would not be opposed to this.

And releasing him may actually save the Cowboys money. They owe him approximately 20.4 million dollars over the next three years in salary (about $5.1M in 2011, $6.8M in 2012 and $8.5M in 2013). If they released him they would have to count his remaining bonus amount, about $9.6M left over from about $19.2M over six years , that would have counted against the cap over 3 years in just two seasons, since it’s after the July 12th deadline. THe Bonuses have already been paid, but count towards the cap in equally divided parts over the life of the contract. His guaranteed money has also already been given to him, as it was all allotted in the first three years of his contract (2008-2010)

So here’s what they face with and without him, cap wise.

2011 Cap hit with him on the team $8.3M (%5.1M salary + $3.2M bonus hit); cap hit if they release him, $4.8M (remaining cap hit for the last three years of his contract divided across two years). The Cowboys save $3.5M in cap room to give another receiver who better fits their scheme.

2012 Cap Hit with him $10M; without him $4.8M. The Cowboys save $5.2M

2013 Cap hit with him $12.7M; without him, none. a $12.7M savings.

Total cap hit with him $31M; without him, $9.6M

Real Money hit with him $20.4M, without him, $0 as the rest of his contract is not guaranteed and he has already been paid his bonus money.

So it would be far cheaper to let him walk. The Cowboys save $20.4M in real dollars and $21.4M in cap room by releasing Williams.