Report: Packers Targeting Free Agent TE Marcedes Lewis
As though we needed any more evidence that the Ted Thompson era is truly gone, the Packers are bringing free agent tight end Marcedes Lewis in for a visit this week, according to reports from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein.
In an ongoing effort to upgrade his roster, Brian Gutekunst is continuing to pursue available options to improve his tight end group after passing on several promising prospects in the draft.
Lewis, a 34-year old UCLA grad entering his 13th NFL seasons, caught 24 passes for 318 yards and five touchdowns for the Jaguars last year.
At 6-6 and 255 pounds, Lewis is known mostly for his blocking, and to the extent that you trust Pro Football Focus, he was quite good at it last season.
As Kruse points out in the above tweet, Lewis would likely be a complementary piece to Jimmy Graham, who’s not known for his blocking.
That’s not to say Lewis can’t contribute in the passing game. When called upon, he can still stretch the seam.
Should the Packers sign Lewis, it’s probably not a good sign for Lance Kendricks. Though the Packers could retain three veterans at the position (as was their plan for 2017 before Martellus Bennett went full Martellus Bennett), historically they’ve preferred to get some kind of special teams contributions from their third tight end, which typically means a younger player.
In any case, Lewis could would almost certainly be an upgrade to the current tight end group, one that could be an excellent complementary piece to Jimmy Graham.