The Disappearance of Packers TE Marcedes Lewis
Lance Kendricks (pictured) and Marcedes Lewis have not seen the field as much as many expected this season for the Packers.
The snap counts through two games are puzzling at tight end. Lance Kendricks has gotten 46 snaps so far, more than double what Marcedes Lewis (21) has seen.
This is odd to me. I think when Lewis came in, it was presumed that he was the new number two tight end and Kendricks would be sprinkled in on occasion. The reverse has been true.
Kendricks, if the snap counts can be any judge, is the backup tight end and the Packers are just figuring out what to do with Lewis as they go on.
I think this is due to the perception that Kendricks is more versatile than Lewis. That perception is mistaken, and it comes mostly from Kendricks’ supposed role as an H-back/quasi-fullback type.
Who cares if you have fullback that’s also a tight end? It doesn’t add anything to the Packers offense, and Kendricks certainly hasn’t added anything so far this season in that role. Maybe if Green Bay had a player like Chicago’s Trey Burton, things would be different. Kendricks is not lighting the world on fire there.
Marcedes Lewis is definitely a better blocker and is probably a better receiver than Lance Kendricks. So what gives? I don’t understand it, and I don’t have a good answer to what’s going on here. The Packers would be well served to play Lewis more.
If the Packers want to get both of them on the field, what’s wrong with a three tight end formation? If you’re going to have five pass catchers in the formation, why not have Lance Kendricks and Marcedes Lewis as your traditional tight end types and split out Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Jimmy Graham as receivers?
As we hear from Tom Silverstein all the time, Graham is basically a wide receiver anyway. Why not line him up as one and do normal things with your other tight ends? That seems like a good solution to me, if you’re really trying to get Lewis and Kendricks on the field.
All in all, that’s been very puzzling from the Packers so far.
