Greg Olsen does right thing by Panthers

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has decided not to hold out from training camp after debating whether his contract was worthy of his play.

On Tuesday, the Panthers arrived at training camp, including one man that many believed would be holding out for a new deal. Veteran tight end Greg Olsen, who finished second in the league in receiving yardage at his position last year, is playing out the final two seasons of a three-year, $22 million deal with Carolina.

He has now decided not to hold out, instead reporting to camp on time. Olsen said much of the reason was because of the already turbulent offseason in Charlotte, which saw the dismissal of general manager Dave Gettleman just days ago. Gettleman had been on the job for four years, helping the Panthers reach their second Super Bowl.

Olsen, 32, remains the focal point of an offense which struggled badly around him last season. The front office attempted to rectify that situation in the offseason, drafting both Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel in the first and second rounds, respectively. McCaffrey provides a do-it-all threat who could line up in either the backfield or slot, while Samuel should see time both in the slot and on the perimeter.

The Panthers desperately need Olsen to continue being one of the best tight ends in the league, even with the added talent. The former Chicago Bears draft choice has registered three consecutive campaigns of more than 1,000 yards, the first tight end in league history to accomplish the feat. For his career, Olsen has 52 receiving touchdowns and has been named to the Pro Bowl three times, and honored as a second-team All-Pro on two occasions.