The Green Bay Packers recently brought veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis into the mix. While he’s not a feared receiver, he brings plenty to help an offense.
When the Green Bay Packers signed Jimmy Graham, there were plenty of reasons to believe they were done with the tight end position this offseason. Graham is an elite tight end who gives the Packers a massive receiving threat at the position. That wasn’t the case, however, as Marcedes Lewis was recently brought in, and the two couldn’t be more different.
Graham is known mostly for his incredible receiving skills. Lewis on the other hand had his most receptions in a season since 2013 last year, recording 24. Receptions isn’t where Lewis will make his mark though. Lewis is an exceptional blocker. This can be utilized in a few ways.
First, he can be used as a decoy on passes. Lining up next to the offensive line, Lewis can stay back to block and help protect the extremely valuable asset that is Aaron Rodgers. Expect to see this a lot as the Packers main goal should be keeping their quarterback upright. As long as he’s healthy, they’ll always have a chance to win.
Then, of course, there’s in the running game. Having tight ends that can properly block on rushing attempts can make a massive difference for running backs. Sealing the outside gives the backs another option, and can be the difference between a 0-yard run and a jailbreak.
Don’t get me wrong, Lewis can still play a role in the passing game. At 6-6, he’s an enormous target and red zone threat. This was shown last year by his five touchdowns despite just the 24 receptions. Meanwhile, having a quarterback like Rodgers should help him as well. No disrespect to the likes of Blake Bortles and Blaine Gabbert, but they aren’t exactly on the same level as Rodgers.
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Marcedes Lewis definitely isn’t the flashiest addition to the Green Bay Packers this offseason. He can still be one of the most important though. The tight end can have a positive effect in multiple ways, and help the offense to grow.