Carolina Panthers: 5 players who must improve
![CHARLOTTE, NC - JUNE 04: Head Coach Ron Rivera during the Carolina Panthers OTA (Organized Training Activities) at the Carolina Panthers Training Facility on June 04, 2018 in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NC - JUNE 04: Head Coach Ron Rivera during the Carolina Panthers OTA (Organized Training Activities) at the Carolina Panthers Training Facility on June 04, 2018 in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c898500fc9bfca99d27a75b7686d761ee4543edaae41471b6d34e2f9a9a31bb1.jpg)
4. Greg Olsen
The Panthers made a concerted effort to add as many weapons as they could for Cam Newton this offseason. The truth is, the return of a healthy Greg Olsen might be the most important boost of all. The normally durable tight end only managed to play seven games last season.
That obviously had a negative effect on the Panthers offense. Olsen is more than just a security blanket for Newton, he’s a dangerous weapon down the field. We aren’t talking about a tight end that only runs five yard patterns in the flat.
Olsen only caught 17 passes for 191 yards last year. That’s a stark departure from his previous three seasons where he posted 1,000-yard campaigns. Newton doesn’t necessarily need Olsen to get all the way back to that level of productivity, but a nice 70 catch, 750 yard season would do wonders for this offense.
The presence of Olsen on the field also does a lot of Carolina’s running game. He isn’t a great blocker, but he is willing. More importantly, he can help set the edge by serving as a decoy. When he flies out wide in a pass pattern he usually takes the outside linebacker with him. Olsen’s ability to remove one defender from the box can really boost the Panthers’ ground game.