Greg Olsen didn't nab the big-money extension he hoped for, but the Panthers tight end has a solid shot to make some extra scratch in 2017.
The club on Thursday packed Olsen's deal with $2 million in incentives, a source involved in negotiations told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Scheduled to make $6.5 million this season, Olsen has the opportunity to earn up to $8.75 million based on catches, receiving yardage, average per catch and additional honors. The tight end is still on tap to make $6.5 million in 2018, the final year of his contract.
"It just shows when two sides are reasonable and act in good faith, there is always a fair resolution," Olsen told Panthers.com writer Max Henson. "Obviously I am very thankful. The team didn't have to do this. They acknowledged there was something that could be done, it was just a matter of finding the correct format. I think that's what we've accomplished."
It's the latest move by interim general manager Marty Hurney, who said earlier this month he was "looking at" an extension for Olsen, who pondered a holdout this summer under former GM Dave Gettleman.
"We look at all these cases individually and we decided there was an opportunity to reach a win-win solution," Hurney told Panthers.com writer Bill Voth.
Olsen, 32, has been integral to Carolina's offense, piling up 428 catches for 5,384 yards and 32 touchdowns over 93 regular-season starts since 2012. He finished last year with his third-straight 1,000-yard campaign.
Other transactions we're tracking on the final day of preseason fare:
- The Houston Texans have signed wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a five-year, $81 million extension with $49 million guaranteed, Rapoport reported, per a source informed of the deal. Additionally, tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz signed a three-year contract extension with the Texans, a source involved told Rapoport. The deal is worth roughly $22 million, with $10.1 million guaranteed, Rapoport added. Texans fullback Jay Prosch also signed a three-year, $5.75 million contract extension, with $2.7 million guaranteed with the Texans, Rapoport reported.
Rapoport also reported the Texans have sealed up a valued defender:
- The Chiefs announced that they have released offensive lineman Jah Reid.
- The Detroit Lionstraded offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, according to Rapoport.