Alex Lewis is calling it a career. With just a few weeks to go before the start of the season, the guard has decided to retire from the NFL (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). 
This was the expected news after Lewis was placed on the exempt/left squad list earlier this month. Lewis’ reasons for leaving the game aren’t immediately clear. When asked about him recently, head coach Robert Saleh simply said that Lewis is battling issues “much greater than football.” With that said, Lewis sustained a head injury during a recent practice, which may have played a role in his decision.
Lewis, still only 29, agreed to a pay cut earlier this year, reducing his salary from $5.8MM to $3MM. That trim likely would have been enough to solidify his spot on the roster.
The Jets used Lewis as a starter for most of his New York tenure, dating back to the team’s 2019 saga with Kelechi Osemele. But, after 21 games as a first-stringer, the Jets traded up in Round 1 to draft USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Between Vera-Tucker and Greg Van Roten, there might not have been a ton of reps left for Lewis.
Lewis leaves the game with 44 appearances across four seasons for the Ravens and Jets. We here at PFR wish him the best in retirement.
I hope that he got out in time.