Jacksonville Jaguars: Marcedes Lewis is truly a legend
By Larry Brake
Marcedes Lewis had a big day in London last Sunday. Lewis is playing in his twelfth NFL season which makes him a Jacksonville Jaguars legend.
Marcedes Lewis caught three touchdown passes last Sunday. Lewis is still the starting tight end, even having been drafted in 2006. Time will prove that he is definitely a legend. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Lewis as the 28th overall selection in the 2006 NFL draft. Maurice Jones-Drew, Lewis’ collegiate teammate, was selected in the second round by the Jaguars. Lewis is still playing and Jones-Drew is retired.
Lewis is the fourth tight end drafted in the Jaguars brief history. Since 2006, Jacksonville has drafted only two other tight ends. He is the only tight end that Jacksonville has ever taken in the first round.
Jacksonville signed Julius Thomas in 2015 as Lewis’ supposed replacement. Thomas was traded to Miami this past offseason, further proving that Lewis will be replaced when he retires. Lewis put up his best numbers in 2010. He caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged about 12 yards per reception. What is amazing that he was targeted 89 times. Are you wondering how many of those receptions caused the fans to chant, “move those chains“?
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The amazing aspect of Lewis’ career is his catch percentage (receptions divided by targets). His highest percentages were in 2012, 2016, 2010, and 2007. Each season, his catch rate was over 60 percent.
Lewis is the Jaguars third all-time leader in receptions (355) and yards (4246) behind Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. There isn’t a chance that he moves into first or second, but he has achieved very good numbers regardless.
Ryan O’Halloran of jacksonville.com quoted Lewis while speaking of his role as a blocking tight end:
"“I never got down,” Lewis said of his lack of passing game involvement. “It’s just one of those things – if I wasn’t a guy that wasn’t an old-school tight end who loves blocking, then maybe [there would be frustration]. But because of my blocking, that keeps me interested. It keeps me in it.”"
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There it is, Lewis is a total team player who seems like he enjoys blocking as much as catching passes. Not long after Marcedes Lewis is gone, the Jaguars faithful will realize that they watched a Jacksonville legend.