Not adjusting for Olsen isn’t unique, just ask Packers

There’s a group of people (of unknown size, but loud) who don’t like what’s happening to Greg Olsen. Even after a disappointing 2009, all has been forgiven and the Bears’ new offensive coordinator needs to change his ways for the zero-time Pro Bowl tight end.

But Mike Martz isn’t going to change for Olsen, and he shouldn’t. Otherwise, why bring in Martz and his version of the “Air Coryell” offense? Not adjusting for Olsen doesn’t make Martz uniquely stubborn, it just makes him like every other NFL coordinator who believes in his system.

If Olsen is with the Bears his role is going to fade, dramatically; however, this isn’t Martz’s fault. Olsen can play in Martz’s scheme, if he blocks. History says that Olsen will struggle with this, so they brought in Brandon Manumaleuna, who is basically another starting right tackle. Martz’s offense has no use for tight ends that can’t block, and Olsen’s receiver skills aren’t so out of this world that his flaw deserves to be overlooked.

I was like a lot of people: I thought Olsen would have a huge 2009 season. He didn’t. Someday, Olsen may improve to a Pro Bowl level; to this point, he’s been somewhat disappointing for a first-round pick. However, Martz has enough work to do instead of waiting for Olsen to develop, or scheming new ideas for him to get involved.

And not wanting to adjust isn’t unique to Martz. He definitely isn’t the only NFL coordinator who feels strongly about the system he runs. A lot of things said about Martz can be said about others, including Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

Capers brought the 3-4 scheme to the Packers in 2009, and he used it. Even though Capers had a defensive end in Aaron Kampman that didn’t necessarily fit in the 3-4, Capers tried to make him fit.

In training camp, Capers played the “adjustment friendly” card with the media (and possibly his own players). Before the season started, Capers told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that he can adjust his scheme to make 4-3 players more comfortable.

“Capers has emphasized all offseason that he can adjust the scheme and his calls to his personnel, and that he will mix in the 4-3 if needed this season of defensive transition.”

But he didn’t, at least not to Kampman’s expectations. Kampman signed with the Jaguars last week, and he talked to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about his season in Capers’ 3-4.

“I love getting after the passer. I have a year’s worth of built up energy to get back out there and get back after the quarterback and I look forward to doing it. I haven’t been in my stance. All off-season last year, they didn’t let me get in my stance once. I was in the two-point stance on the left side. It seems to be a perfect time to switch over and make that transition.”

Without using one of their best players at a position he’s best suited to play, the Packers made a drastic improvement on the defensive side of the ball. Football Outsiders’ Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) measures a team’s success on each play based on down, distance, location on the field, current score gap, quarter and opponent quality. It compares each team’s success to the league average. And in 2009, the Packers were the second-best team in the NFL in DVOA, up from No. 12 in 2008.

Despite the improvement, Packers blog Cheesehead TV says Capers is just another “inflexible coordinator.” His inflexible nature worked, and they’ll be just fine without Kampman.

I’m not saying the Bears are going to lap the league in offensive success just because of Martz’s brainpower. The Packers added a bunch of talented players through the draft, who were perfect for Capers’ system.

Still, coordinators, especially ones who are established as Capers and Martz, don’t care about expendable players. And after three seasons, that’s all Olsen has proven to be – expendable.

No one told Kampman he wasn’t allowed to be as good in the 3-4. He’s just a better player with his hand on the ground coming off the edge, and in Jacksonville, he’ll get to do that. But you don’t bring in someone like Martz, or Capers, and then tell him to change his scheme – the reason you hired him in the first place.

And adjusting to Olsen’s talent, would force Martz to do just that.