Tight ends work well together

BOURBONNAIS -- Tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen both want to be on the field as much as possible, which at first glance would appear to be a problem waiting to happen since both have legitimate claims to the No. 1 job.

Clark had 626 receiving yards last season, the most he has had in a productive eight-year career. He tied for the team lead with 6 touchdowns and was third in yards and catches (45).

Olsen is the first-round pick (31st overall) out of Miami and has the speed and pass-catching skills of a wide receiver.

Normally a situation like this would become contentious, but because both are talented yet dissimilar receivers, they could coexist peacefully.

"We're all out here just trying to win," Clark said. "We're not looking at it as me against him or him against me. We're looking at as trying to be the best team we can be.

"Anything I can help him on, I'm out here helping him because I want to see him be the best tight end he can be for this team and for himself.

"He's picking up everything fast. You see the kinds of plays that he's making out here, so we're expecting big things out of him this year."

Part of a solution could be playing both at the same time, which could happen on 50 percent of the offensive snaps if the arrangement works out.

Olsen represents a deep threat who can stretch the field, and he could be deployed more as a wide receiver. Clark is more of a possession receiver, even though his 13.9-yard average per catch last season was outstanding for a tight end and the best mark he ever had for a full season.

"I'm anxious to see exactly how teams will handle it," said Bears coach Lovie Smith, "whether they say, 'It's a two-tight end set,' or they treat Olsen as a wide receiver. After you see him running routes outside, you could easily treat him as a wide receiver. He has those types of skills."

Olsen already has noticed that it opens up receiving lanes for him when he's on the field with Clark. And Clark has noticed that Olsen's talent is undeniable.

"The guy's great," the veteran said. "For a rookie to come in and do the kind of stuff that he's doing ... I think the biggest thing is he's able to understand what's going on.

"You get a lot of rookies that come in and they're trying to feel their way a little bit, but he's coming in and he's playing. He's not (having to) think a whole lot; he's just going out and playing football, and that's one thing that's helping him progress at the fast rate that he is."

Olsen already has made a handful of circus catches in just four days of practice, including a pair of diving catches Monday, the second in an 11-on-11, goal-line scrimmage in the back corner of the end zone.

"He's been gobbling up everything that's thrown to him," Smith said. "He has good hands, good speed, that type of athletic ability, and he's done it every day, throughout the off-season work, and he's carrying it over with training camp."

If Olsen remains on the fast track, Clark could see less playing time than he has in his previous four seasons with the Bears. But the veteran seems willing to swap a slightly scaled-down presence in the passing attack for team success.

"I'm happy if we win," Clark said. "I've been through the tough years. I've been a guy who only caught 20-some passes (24 in both 2004 and '05), so it's not going to take much to make me happy.

"The only thing that's going to make me unhappy is if we're losing and I'm not playing, but I don't see that happening.

"I believe they're going to find ways to utilize us both, to get us both on the field for a lot of different situations. Out here in practice, we're on the field (together) a lot, so we just hope that continues throughout the season."