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Marcedes Lewis

TE Marcedes Lewis Re-Signs With Bears

June 12th, 2024 at 8:50am CST by Ely Allen

JUNE 12: Lewis agreed to a one-year, $2MM deal, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. These terms match Lewis’ 2023 Bears agreement. The Bears are guaranteeing the 40-year-old tight end $1MM, with part of that sum a $400K signing bonus.

JUNE 9: There are lots of new faces coming to the Bears offense in 2024 with running back D’Andre Swift, wide receiver Keenan Allen, and center Coleman Shelton joining last year’s veteran addition of D.J. Moore. There’s also plenty of youth being infused as top-10 picks Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze arrive in Chicago, as well. With so much change in the locker room, the coaching staff will be happy to see veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis return in 2024.

Lewis informed Jay Glazer of FOX Sports he will meet with the Bears on Monday with the intention to re-sign in Chicago. On the same day that we see Darren Waller retire after nine years in the league, the NFL’s second-longest-tenured player announces that he intends to return for Year 19. With Lewis being a first-round pick out of UCLA in 2006, only Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (drafted in 2005) has been in the NFL longer than he.

Lewis spent the majority of his career in Jacksonville, playing 12 years with the Jaguars. He would finally leave Duval for Green Bay, signing three one-year contracts followed by a two-year deal in five seasons with the Packers. Lewis waited until the final month before the season in 2023 to sign with the Bears, breaking the record for most seasons played by a tight end in NFL history. He’ll presumably continue to expand that legacy in 2024.

Lewis has never been a relatively productive tight end. Including a Pro Bowl season in 2010 that saw Lewis record career-highs in catches (58), yards (700), and touchdowns (10), Lewis has only broken the 500-yard receiving mark three times and caught more than four touchdowns twice. Since 2012, he hasn’t recorded over 400 yards in a season, and since leaving Jacksonville, his highest yardage total in a season has been 214.

None of that is to say that Lewis is not a strong contributor, even as he enters his age-40 season. Just last year saw Lewis grade out as the league’s fifth-best tight end, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), thanks to some stellar blocking grades, something for which Lewis has been known throughout his career. Despite his dwindling receiving contributions in the last several years, Lewis has remained a starter in most seasons. After starting four games in his first season with the Packers, Lewis became a full-time starter for the next three and a half years.

Lewis started four games in Chicago while appearing in every contest last year. He saw minimal targets, catching fewer than 10 passes for the second straight season but still saw significant snaps as TE2 for the Bears behind Cole Kmet. With Kmet as a premier receiving tight end, finishing ninth in receiving yards for the position last year, the Bears don’t need Lewis to be the every-down tight end he once was in his career. But his vast years of experience have clearly made him an asset in the locker room as he continues to get contracts in the NFL.

Bears To Sign TE Marcedes Lewis

August 4th, 2023 at 8:18am CST by Adam La Rose

Marcedes Lewis is set to break the record for seasons played by a tight end, but it will not take place in Green Bay. The veteran is finalizing a deal with the Bears, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets that the agreement is for one year and $2MM.

Lewis made it clear in June that he had no intention or retiring and was in conversation with teams about a deal for the 2023 season. He will be able to do so in the NFC North, but in a new home for only the third time in his career. The 39-year-old spent the past five seasons with the Packers after 12 as a Jaguar.

As they begin the post-Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay, however, attention is being turned to the young array of pass-catchers on the team. That includes rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft at the TE spot. A new Packers deal for Lewis seemed unlikely once the trade sending Rodgers to the Jets was finalized, a move which has seen a number of familiar faces on offense join him in New York.

In Chicago, Lewis will compete for a role on a young offense looking to take a step forward in the passing game in particular compared to 2022. The trade involving the No. 1 pick saw wideout D.J. Moore head to the Windy City, putting him in position to operate as the team’s top pass-catcher. At the tight end position, the recently-extended Cole Kmet will lead the group, one which now has even more of a Green Bay flavor to it.

Robert Tonyan inked a Bears deal at the start of free agency after a lengthy Packers stint. He and Lewis will have plenty of familiarity as they compete for snaps in the new-look Bears offense. The latter had the second-least productive season of his career in 2022, recording only six catches (though two of them were touchdowns). His snap share (41%) remained consistent with that of the three previous campaigns, however, showing his continued effectiveness as a run blocker.

Much of the Bears’ success on offense will be determined by the growth of quarterback Justin Fields and the production from the renovated skill-position group around him. Lewis will spend the remainder of training camp looking to carve out a depth role as the newest member of that unit, and in doing so make NFL history for longevity at his position.

TE Marcedes Lewis Eyeing 18th Season, Has Spoken With Teams

June 22nd, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The list of tight ends to play into their late 30s is short, but a few have joined Marcedes Lewis in logging an age-38 season. Antonio Gates, Jason Witten and Hall of Famer Jackie Smith did so. Only Ben Watson has voyaged into an age-39 campaign.

Lewis, who turned 39 last month, is attempting to join Watson and set a tight end record in the process. While Watson played until age 39, he suited up in 16 seasons. Lewis, Witten and Tony Gonzalez are the only two to reach 17. Lewis will attempt to wade into uncharted waters by playing an 18th. The former Jaguars and Packers tight end is not planning to retire and has said conversations with multiple teams have occurred this offseason.

“I get the business side of it. My agent is in talks with a handful of teams, but it’s just small talk,” Lewis said, via The Associated Press’ Mark Long. “I guess teams are trying to figure out their rosters and what they need.”

The Packers carried Lewis on their roster for the past four seasons, utilizing the 270-pound tight end’s blocking prowess. Green Bay has since moved on from some of its veterans, and the team used two Day 2 picks at the position (second-rounder Luke Musgrave, third-rounder Tucker Kraft). The Pack let Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb walk in free agency, being set to outfit Jordan Love with a full complement of rookie-contract players in the QB’s first year as a starter. Lewis may not be entirely out of the picture for a Green Bay return. But multiple reports earlier this year indicated the team is unlikely to make another contract offer.

The obvious team for the former Jags first-rounder would be the Jets. Aaron Rodgers is believed to have placed the four-year Packer on his Jets wish list. Considering the team’s additions of Cobb, Lazard and Billy Turner, it would not surprise if Lewis became another ex-Nathaniel Hackett Green Bay charge to head to the Big Apple. Robert Saleh did not shut this down when asked about the prospect recently, though the Jets do employ veterans Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah along with 2022 third-rounder Jeremy Ruckert and seventh-round rookie Zack Kuntz.

A Raiders agreement also came up on Lewis’ radar, per Long, but the team’s trade-up move for Michael Mayer at No. 35 may scuttle that. Las Vegas also added Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard this offseason. Lewis would be eager to mentor a tight end prospect, but a deal would likely come together closer to training camp or during preseason workouts — as teams assess their various position groups to determine needs.

“For older players, there’s two things where they could potentially not get picked up,” Lewis said. “One is that their play is declining for their role. The second thing is they’re asking for too much money. I’m neither of those. I just want to compete.”

Lewis, who signed three Packers contracts from 2019-22, played out a two-year deal worth $5.92MM last season. Working as the Pack’s primary blocking tight end, Lewis started 17 games — only Gonzalez (254) and Witten (252) top Lewis’ 221 starts among tight ends — and played 451 offensive snaps. Lewis, who has missed one game over the past six seasons, played between 400 and 500 snaps in each of his four Green Bay slates. Pro Football Focus graded the 6-foot-6 veteran as the fifth-best run-blocking tight end in 2022.

Packers Sought Russell Wilson-Type Haul For Aaron Rodgers; Jets Debated Stronger Derek Carr Push

May 8th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers has begun attending Jets offseason workouts, but it took an extensive process for the Packers to move him off their roster. The teams had different goals when they begun negotiations.

The Packers initially sought a trade package comparable to the haul the Seahawks received for Russell Wilson or the Lions picked up for Matthew Stafford, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports. But with Rodgers moving out of the picture in Green Bay, the Jets were never expected to pay what it would have likely cost the Broncos (or another suitor) to pry Rodgers from the Packers in 2021 or ’22. Still, the lag time between the first Rodgers-related discussion between Packers GM Brian Gutekunst and Jets counterpart Joe Douglas — in January, when the latter represented the only interested party among those Gutekunst contacted — led to some uncertainty.

Just before Derek Carr committed to the Saints, Jets brass debated if they should make a stronger push for the longtime Raiders quarterback, Costello adds. The Jets hosted Carr in February and met with him again at the Combine. Though, Gang Green viewed the 10th-year veteran as its Rodgers backup plan throughout the process. With the Jets not knowing until March 12 Rodgers was even planning to play in 2023, they saw their top backup plan vanish when Carr signed with the Saints on March 6.

Shortly after the Jets hired Nathaniel Hackett as OC — a move widely rumored to be a Rodgers-related decision — Robert Saleh instructed his staff to study Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The former 49ers starter surfaced as a Jets option, while the longtime Titans first-stringer has been involved in trade rumors this year. But the Jets waited out Rodgers and received confirmation, via the four-time MVP’s agent contacting Douglas, his client was onboard with the Jets.

The Packers could have obtained more in a trade for Rodgers had they unloaded him in 2021 or ’22, but Jordan Love had not progressed to the point the team was ready to roll with the former No. 26 overall pick. Gutekunst sought to tell Rodgers the Packers planned to field a younger roster this season and make moves to help their salary cap, per Breer, with this meaning Rodgers favorites Randall Cobb, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis would not be back. (Cobb is now a Jet, with Lewis potentially on the team’s radar.) Of course, Gutekunst and Rodgers never got around to a meeting regarding his future. The parties had multiple January meetings in California scheduled, Breer adds; neither came to fruition. Gutekunst dealt with Rodgers’ agent during the trade talks.

As for the trade price, one of the Jets’ counterproposals — during the sides’ off-and-on talks — involved a 2025 Packers second-round pick coming back in the event Rodgers did not return in 2024. The March Rodgers-Jets summit did not involve discussion about how much longer Rodgers would play, though that later became an understandable component of the Jets’ trade push. Instead of the Jets receiving a 2025 second from the Packers — in the event Rodgers retires after this season — the teams agreed on the deal that included the 2024 first-rounder being a conditional pick and not a locked-in 1, Breer adds. That said, Rodgers has only failed to play 65% of his team’s offensive snaps twice in his 15-year starter run. It represents a fairly safe bet the Jets will send the Packers their 2024 first-rounder in this swap.

Rather than the 65% figure, the Jets wanted to tie the 2024 draft choice to team placement, per Breer. But the Packers did this in the Brett Favre trade 15 years ago; the Green Bay icon’s biceps injury ended up leading the Jets out of the playoff race and reducing the Pack’s compensation to a 2009 third-rounder. With Packers president Mark Murphy involved in both negotiations, the Packers did not relent on a refusal to tie the pick to the Jets’ 2023 record.

Douglas was a bit leery about a potential post-draft suitor emerging as an alternative for Rodgers, Breer adds. The Jets had lost Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins in a two-team race last year. The All-Pro wideout was nearly a Jet, but when the Dolphins entered the fray, Miami became Hill’s preferred destination. This helped provide the impetus for the Jets to complete the deal by the draft, even as no other teams were closely connected to Rodgers this offseason.

The 2023 pick-swap component also did not enter the negotiations until late. That turned out to matter, with many believing the Jets were prepared to draft tackle Broderick Jones in Round 1. The Steelers moved up three spots, from No. 17 to No. 14, to prevent that from happening. New York selected edge rusher Will McDonald with its Green Bay-obtained No. 15 pick. The Packers chose Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness at 13.

Packers Targeting Veterans At WR, QB

March 30th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The average age of the Packers’ 2023 roster will drop significantly after the exit of Aaron Rodgers, but the team will also move on from Rodgers favorites Randall Cobb and Marcedes Lewis. Neither of the 30-something pass catchers will be back, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes. Both are now candidates to follow Rodgers to New York.

Despite the exits of Cobb and Lewis, and the drawn-out conclusion to Rodgers’ 18-year Green Bay run, the Packers do not want to turn their quarterback and pass-catching groups over to rookie-contract players entirely. The team is looking for veterans in its now-Jordan Love-centered quarterback room and alongside Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs at receiver.

Once Rodgers is traded to the Jets, Love and Danny Etling will be the only Packers passers on the roster. It certainly seems like Etling — a 2018 Patriots seventh-rounder who has bounced around since, though he has never seen game action — will not be the Pack’s first choice to back up Love.

“I think it would be nice to have someone who has some experience,” GM Brian Gutekunst said, via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman (subscription required). “We have a lot of respect for Danny and what he’s done and would be very comfortable with him in the two spot, but I think we’ll look at a lot of different options. Back when Aaron took over in 2008, I think it was Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn who we drafted that year and they were our backups, so I think we’ll kind of see how that works itself out.”

Indeed, 2008 draftees Flynn and Brohm served as Rodgers’ backups during his first season as Green Bay’s starter. Etling having a legitimate chance to be Love’s primary backup will hinge on who the team adds. Teddy Bridgewater and Blaine Gabbert remain available, as do Mason Rudolph and Trevor Siemian. Carson Wentz is on the market as well, and the former No. 2 overall pick and seven-year starter said he would be open to continuing his career as a backup.

The Packers adding a player with 92 career starts and only a few weeks as a backup would be an interesting path, considering the doubt Love has generated since his 2020 NFL arrival. Love has been in Matt LaFleur‘s system for three years, but he is obviously well behind his peers for game action. Love has thrown 83 regular-season passes.

The Sammy Watkins flier and Rodgers-demanded Cobb reacquisition aside, Green Bay has preferred to fill out its complementary receiver crew with younger players in recent years. The likes of Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown came through as Davante Adams supporting-casters. Each is now elsewhere, and the Packers — post-Cobb and Lazard — will need to add some receivers for depth purposes. LaFleur confirmed as much, per Schneidman (on Twitter).

Jarvis Landry‘s Saints deal expired, while ex-Falcon Olamide Zaccheaus and former Chiefs cog Byron Pringle are also free agents. As are Chosen Anderson and Kenny Golladay, the latter coming off a disastrous Giants tenure that will probably limit his earning potential henceforth. A host of tertiary-type wideouts have signed with teams in recent days, and given Rodgers’ status as a Jet-to-be, Odell Beckham Jr. — whom the Packers finished second for in 2021 — should not be viewed as a viable piece. The Packers could also look to the trade market for a vet to work alongside Watson and Doubs, but the pickings are slimmer in free agency two-plus weeks since the market opened.

Aaron Rodgers’ Jets Free Agency Wish List Includes Odell Beckham Jr., Marcedes Lewis

March 14th, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers loaded up their roster with Tom Brady-approved acquisitions in 2020, adding the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown. Of course, those players became Buccaneers after Brady committed. The Jets may be dealing with a different situation.

Aaron Rodgers has given the Jets a free agency wish list that includes a few ex-Packers — Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Marcedes Lewis — but Dianni Russini of ESPN.com reports the future Hall of Fame quarterback also wants the team to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. (Twitter link). Both the Jets and Raiders are believed to be interested in Lewis, despite the tight end going into an age-39 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

It should not be assumed Rodgers will only commit to the Jets if they land all these targets, but the team has been connected to each of the ex-Packers already. The Packers were interested in OBJ back in 2021 as well, though the team stood down and let him sign with the Rams. This marks the first known Beckham-Jets connection, with his previous return-to-New York rumors involving his former team. The Giants, along with the Cowboys, Rams and others, are still believed to be interested in Beckham. Given the QB circumstances at play, the Jets should be counted among the talented but injury-prone wideout’s suitors.

The Jets and Packers have discussed a Rodgers trade for a while, and while it is not known if the parties have agreed to all terms, the holdup here is believed to be Rodgers’ interest in becoming a Jet. The four-time MVP has still not committed to playing a 19th season, despite a round of Jets players sending out celebratory tweets Monday. Putting out a free agency wish list, however, does point to Rodgers being prepared to suit up again.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson is obviously not going anywhere, but the Jets’ receiver room could look quite different soon — depending on how many of Rodgers’ guys the team acquires. The Jets have Corey Davis under contract for one more season, but with $10MM-plus in savings attached to cutting him, that should be considered a possible outcome. Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims also remain on Gang Green’s roster, each attached to rookie contracts. Both were in trade rumors last year; the Jets shopped Mims but did not honor Moore’s trade request.

Even as the Jets have made a run of overtures to Rodgers, the team rearranging its skill-position depth chart before he agrees to join them would be a notable development. Rodgers committing and then the team making an effort to add his preferred weaponry would be more in line with how Brady played it three years ago. While this might be a LeBron James-style effort to apply extra pressure to a team to acquire his preferred weaponry, he also may already be committed to the Jets. The latter scenario would make this list easier to understand, compared to an ultimatum.

As for Beckham, this represents another opportunity for him to maximize his value. It is unknown if he is interested in teaming up with Rodgers, but the 30-year-old wideout is once again seeking money seemingly well out of step with his value. Beckham was connected to a $20MM-per-year ask during his December free agency sweepstakes; that number has come up once again. While OBJ is extraordinarily unlikely to approach that price point, given his two ACL tears and missed season, this Rodgers tie could help him on the market.

Lewis was with the Packers throughout new Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett‘s Green Bay stay. He could profile as a third tight end for a team that already employs C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. A longtime Rodgers ally, Cobb has played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons with the all-time QB great. Rodgers drove the Packers, calling off his trade request, to reacquire him in 2021.

Aaron Rodgers Addresses Latest Trade Rumors, Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett Hire

January 31st, 2023 at 2:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

During the first round of Aaron Rodgers trade rumors, the source rarely provided insight about his situation. With Rodgers now having a weekly radio spot, his status is never far off the radar. The 18-year Packers quarterback had more news to address Tuesday.

A weekend report from ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated the Packers would prefer to move on from Rodgers. This would mean giving another team responsibility of the $58.3MM bonus, which can be paid at any point this offseason, but also taking on a substantial dead-money hit — should a trade occur before June 1 — and committing to seeing what Jordan Love has to offer.

[RELATED: Rodgers Trade A “Very Real Scenario”]

Rodgers is well aware of the conversations occurring among Packers brass, per Schefter, and the 39-year-old superstar certainly seemed to confirm as such. “It sounds like there’s already conversations going on that aren’t involving me, which are interesting,” Rodgers said during his latest Pat McAfee Show interview (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). This response also came to question that did not specifically address the Schefter report.

The Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett OC hire also did plenty to fuel speculation Rodgers could be headed out of Green Bay. Again offering praise for Hackett — the Packers’ OC from 2019-21 — Rodgers said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the former Green Bay assistant was among his favorites. Robert Saleh downplayed the Rodgers-Hackett connection, as should be expected, but the Jets are evaluating Rodgers, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Rodgers reiterated he has not made a decision about returning but pointed to one of the two decisions on his plate — seemingly calls on playing and staying with the Packers — being made in “a couple weeks.” Carr, Garoppolo and Rodgers could all be available at different points on the calendar — Carr in February, Garoppolo in March and Rodgers potentially in June, when a trade would be less financially punishing for the Packers — adding an interesting wrinkle to this year’s QB market.

Green Bay moving on this offseason would be eerily similar territory, especially with New York being in the equation again. The Packers have used Rodgers as their starter since trading Brett Favre to the Jets in August 2008. The Jets have not acquired a franchise-caliber veteran since that Favre deal, which was only for a conditional third-round pick. Rodgers is expected to command more in a deal. Favre turned 39 shortly after being dealt to the Jets; Rodgers turned 39 last month. Love is going into his fourth season, just as Rodgers was in 15 years ago.

The Packers’ direction will also influence their decision on keeping Rodgers, who mentioned five players — David Bakhtiari, Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis — as those he wants as teammates. All but Bakhtiari are free agents. Cobb and Lewis’ statuses with the Packers almost certainly depend on Rodgers’, Demovsky adds. Both vets likely will not return to the team if Rodgers is not back. Bakhtiari is due a $9.5MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2023 league year and is set to carry a $28.9MM cap number. Bakhtiari should be expected to return on a restructured deal, per Demovsky. The former All-Pro left tackle said he is not planning to retire, and Brian Gutekunst said he expects the 10-year veteran to be back.

Packers TE Robert Tonyan’s Week 1 Availability In Doubt?

July 5th, 2022 at 3:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2022 offseason has seen the departure of the Packers’ top two wide receivers. Their absence naturally places a heavier burden on the team’s tight ends to produce more in 2022 than they did last season. 

Much of the unit’s expectations will, of course, fall on Robert Tonyan. The 28-year-old is in line to once again serve as Green Bay’s top TE, after the team elected not to draft one in the spring. He emerged as a key part of their passing attack in 2020; that season, he totalled 52 catches for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns, which tied him for the league lead in majors at the position.

The 2021 campaign was a much different story, however. A torn ACL ended his season in October, leaving him with only 204 receiving yards, and severely limiting the Packers’ overall production at the position. He re-signed with the team on a one-year deal this offseason, though, meaning he once again enters a new campaign with significant expectations.

However, it remains to be seen if he will have recovered from the injury in time for the fall. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes that Tonyan spent all of the team’s OTAs and minicamp rehabbing his knee (subscription required). At this point, it “remains unclear” if he will be available by the start of the regular season. His absence extending into 2022 would shift attention primarily to the team’s other, less experienced options at the position.

That includes Josiah Deguara. The 2020 third-rounder missed nearly all of his rookie season due to injury, and started only two contests last year. He was nevertheless the team’s most productive TE, with 245 yards and a pair of scores. If Tonyan is unable to see the field early this season, Deguara (along with fellow 2020 draftee Tyler Davis and veteran Marcedes Lewis) will shoulder a larger workload, especially in the absence of All-Pro wideout Davante Adams.

“It’s not an elephant in the room, but Davante’s gone,” Deguara said, via Mike Spofford of the team’s website. “All the balls that he got were much deserved, so there’s opportunity for guys to step up, and I’m going to try to be one of those guys.” The degree to which the TE room contributes this season could go a long way in determining Green Bay’s success.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22

January 1st, 2022 at 4:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Packers To Re-Sign TE Marcedes Lewis

March 24th, 2021 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marcedes Lewis will be back for a 16th NFL season. The veteran tight end agreed to re-sign with the Packers on Wednesday. He will return to Green Bay on a two-year, $8MM contract, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Lewis will see $4MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, and $2.1MM fully guaranteed. The 2006 first-round pick has played with the Packers since 2018. He has missed just one game since joining the team.

The 2021 season will be Lewis’ age-37 campaign. Should he continue his run of health, Lewis will surpass 230 career games played this season. The Packers have continually found a role for the former Jaguars first-rounder, involving him as a blocker and as an occasional receiver. Most of Lewis’ Wisconsin work has come without the ball, however. He has just 28 receptions in his three Packers slates. Pro Football Focus graded Lewis as a top-10 run-blocking tight end last season.

This marks Lewis’ first multiyear Packers agreement. He signed one-year pacts in 2018, ’19 and ’20. While the guarantees on this deal do not solidify Lewis’ place on the 2022 Packers, the UCLA alum has bucked the odds to make it this far. It would certainly not surprise if he plays out this contract. Lewis and Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth are the only non-specialists from the 2006 draft still on NFL rosters.

The Packers kept 2020 breakout talent Robert Tonyan via second-round RFA tender and still have Jace Sternberger on their roster. Lewis will remain the leader of this tight end contingent, however.

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