Tight End Greg Olsen left the Panthers’ Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys late in the first quarter with a foot injury and will not return.
The 33-year old Olsen came off the field after the quarter ended and limped straight to the trainers table, where he was looked at for only a moment by the trainers before adjourning to the locker room and not returning to the sidelines. At one point, a trainer was rubbing his shoulders, as Olsen seemed to be extremely upset. The three-time Pro Bowler was listed as questionable and a late addition to the injury report with a sore back – Olsen later emerged from the locker room after halftime on crutches and in a boot; Ron Rivera was unable to update the injury situation after the game and Olsen declined to speak with the media.
“It means alot, that’s Cam’s blankie,” wide receiver Torrey Smith said about the injury. “They have a different type of chemistry and that’s his security blanket – he means a lot to this offense…it’s going to be a huge loss if he ends up being out for an extended period of time.”
Olsen was having a nice start to his season with two catches for 33 yards in the first quarter including a leaping grab with 55 seconds to go in the first quarter that went for 19 yards on second-and-20 – he was tackled by Cowboy’s Kavon Frazier. Two plays later, Olsen was seen leaving the game in discomfort.
“It’s next man up in this league,” said Chris Manhertz, who will be one of two healthy tight ends along with Ian Thomas heading into next week’s matchup with Atlanta. “With our preparation and what we do during the week, it should help fill that void. It’s tough, obviously for Greg – whatever injury he sustained it’s tough seeing that, but me and Ian, it’s now our time to step up and do what we do.”
Last season, Olsen suffered a right foot fracture against Buffalo in Week 2, which sent him to injured reserve and sidelined him for just over half the season before he eventually returned in late December.
The Panthers were 6-1 with Olsen on the roster and 5-4 without him during the 2017 regular season.
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