Had things worked out differently, Ed Dickson would be the Baltimore Ravens’ starting tight end, preparing to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London this week and rich beyond his wildest dreams.
Instead, Dickson will start his first game as the Carolina Panthers’ No. 1 tight end Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, filling in for his friend and teammate, Greg Olsen, who will miss at least eight weeks with a broken foot.
Before Olsen went down in the second quarter last week against Buffalo, Dickson’s role in Carolina was much as it was in Baltimore – where he was a behind-the-scenes blocker and sometimes pass-catcher playing behind a well-paid starter in Dennis Pitta.