What does Marcedes Lewis Bring to the Green Bay Packers?

Marcedes Lewis was just signed by the Green Bay Packers recently. What does he bring to the offense and the team as a whole?

The Green Bay Packers already had a plethora of weapons for Aaron Rodgers to work with on offense. Now, general manager Brian Gutekunst upped the ante on the offense on signing tight end Marcedes Lewis.

Gutekunst wanted to make sure Rodgers felt comfortable enough with Jordy Nelson‘s departure so he added multiple new weapons. Boy, he sure added some guys who know how to be physical and find the end zone. But exactly what does Lewis bring to the Packers offense?

Lewis adds two different dimensions in a Packers offense that is already able to pass and run the ball pretty well. He has been an exceptional inline run-blocking tight end for guys like Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Leonard Fournette. That will definitely have an effect on Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams who will be the focal point for this season’s running game.

Lewis doesn’t just block well, he finishes the blocks better than most linemen can in the league. Most times on run plays in 2017, you found him pancaking edge defenders on their back or face first into the turf.

Packers will also find the passing dimension in Lewis. He can be a weapon both up the seam and in the red zone. He’ll will be replacing Richard Rodgers and is an immediate upgrade in the passing game. Rodgers was never able to separate himself from defenders or to have that connection with Rodgers the quarterback.

Unlike Rodgers the tight end, Lewis’ size, 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, gives Rodgers the quarterback the ability to put the ball where ever he wants it in Lewis’ catch radius. For being a bigger player, he’s also able to run his routes crisp and gain separation. Even though he only had 24 catches last year, he still took 18 of them for first downs. That shows a huge positive in keeping the chains moving on the field. Also, being an inline tight end will add for those quick chip blocks in the passing game.

Lewis joins an already talented receiving unit of Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Geronimo Allison, and Jimmy Graham. Joe Philbin can now run double tight end set plays by having Graham split out wide and Lewis playing inline that can cause havoc for defenses.

Just having Lewis in the line-up is going to add another weapon for Rodgers to use and another high profile player that defensive coordinators have to plan for. Lewis can possibly be that safety blanket for Rodgers when plays break down and he needs a quick check down pass. Don’t be surprised if he has double the red zone targets that he did the last two years total.

Lewis is an underrated signing for the Packers that brings experience, durability, knowledge, production, and leadership all in one package. Don’t expect him to be as flashy as other players, but he gets the job done and that’s what counts. He very well could be the next big piece that upgrades the Packers offense back to the elite level in the league