Green Bay Packers Cut ’em or Keep ’em & Prediction: Marcedes Lewis
By Paul Bretl
Prediction: If Aaron Rodgers stays, Marcedes Lewis returns. If Aaron Rodgers retires or heads elsewhere, Lewis is cut or retires.
Just like my prediction with Randall Cobb, this decision feels like it goes hand in hand with whatever happens to Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers and Lewis have a very good relationship, and my guess is that if Rodgers does return, he will want Lewis here with him for another run at a potential Super Bowl–and I imagine Lewis would be happy to join him once again.
On the flip side, at this stage of Lewis’ career, he may not want to endure Green Bay taking a likely step back in Rodgers’ absence and going from a legitimate Super Bowl contender to an unknown. Also, from the Packers’ perspective, if they are in a bit of a transition period, at this point, the cap savings that come from cutting Lewis could be quite enticing.
As mentioned above, it would appear that Lewis still has plenty to offer this Green Bay Packers offense as their primary blocking tight end–which is why his return does make so much sense. However, if the Packers do need to reload, then moving on from Lewis is likely the prudent move, given the cap space created and the current state of their tight end room.
If Lewis is back, a contract restructure isn’t much of an option for Green Bay to clear cap space. According to Over the Cap’s projections, a restructure would save only $66,667—so really not much at all relative to a majority of the financial moves made in football. Or perhaps the Packers would look to cut Lewis and then sign him to a more team-friendly deal.
Although having said all of that, if Lewis decides to retire, regardless of what Rodgers does, then everything I’ve typed out just now doesn’t really matter.
All salary cap info from Over the Cap