The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms with veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis on a one-year, $2 million deal.
Lewis, 39, is entering his 18th NFL season, breaking a tie for the most seasons ever played by a tight end. He’s one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL and an experienced veteran with a knowledge of Luke Getsy’s system.
Lewis gives the Bears more depth at tight end alongside Cole Kmet and Robert Tonyan, another former Packer, as well as a veteran presence in the locker room.
We spoke to Zach Kruse of Packers Wire, who gave us the rundown on what we can expect from the Bears’ new tight end and why he could be a good fit for Chicago.
What kind of player are the Bears getting in Marcedes Lewis?
Zach Kruse: The Bears are getting a terrific inline blocker in the run game and a veteran leader who will immediately command respect in the locker room. Even in his 17th season last year, Lewis was an integral part of the run game for the Packers, playing over 250 snaps as a run blocker.
What’s Lewis’ biggest strength?
ZK: Lewis can block. No doubt about it. The Packers put him inline and let him go to work. He’ll be 39 years old in 2023, but I’d be surprised if his blocking regressed severely enough to where he wasn’t an asset in the run game.
Where does Lewis need to improve?
ZK: Lewis can be a surprise target in the play-action passing game, but don’t expect him to be a weapon as a receiver. He’s a useful yet one-dimensional player at this point.
What impact did Lewis have on offense during his time with the Packers?
ZK: Sorry if this is getting redundant, but Lewis added a ton of impact as an inline run blocker. He played over 225 run-blocking snaps each of his last four seasons in Green Bay and consistently graded out at PFF as one of the NFL’s better blocking tight ends.
Why do you think Lewis could be a good fit for the Bears?
ZK: Lewis is going to a Bears offense that will be based in the run game and has Luke Getsy, a former Packers assistant under Matt LaFleur, calling the plays. He fits the style the Bears want to play, and Getsy will know exactly how to put him in the right situations to maximize what he has left as a blocker. At their best, Lewis and Robert Tonyan were an excellent tight end combination for the Packers, so the Bears are hoping they can get a repeat in 2023. The only worry here for the Bears is a big regression at age 39, but I’d bet on Lewis winning the battle against Father Time for at least one more year.
