Marcedes Lewis would add stability to Packers inexperienced TE room

With the Green Bay Packers tight end room low on experience, re-signing free agent Marcedes Lewis would provide some needed stability at that position for the 2023 season.

There are a few reasons why we may not see the Packers make any more outside additions to the roster through free agency. The first is that they have limited spending power due to their salary cap situation. Another is that there really aren’t that many roster spots up for grabs. And lastly, as Green Bay finds itself in a transition year, this young roster experience is very valuable.

However, if there is one player to make an exception for, it would be Lewis.

The Packers added two dynamic tight ends to their roster in the draft. Luke Musgrave brings a vertical presence to the position with his speed, Tucker Kraft adds YAC ability, and both were categorized by Brian Gutekunst as “all-around” players and “above-average” blockers.

Both will bring playmaking and unpredictability to the offense–two elements that were missing from this unit in 2022. With that said, most rookie tight ends over the last 20 years, even first-round picks, are not high-impact players right away.

This is something that both Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur discussed following the draft. With all of the responsibilities that tight ends have as blockers and as pass catchers, the learning curve is steep, which will lead to volatile ups and downs. In fact, most tight ends don’t truly hit their stride in the NFL until Years 2 or 3.

This is where the addition of Big Dog comes into play. He is like a sixth offensive lineman when on the field and can help bolster the Packers run game and provide additional pass protection for Jordan Love. As I’ve said before, any success that Love potentially has in 2023 begins with the play up front. Without a strong run game to lean on or time in the pocket, things will become very difficult. We saw this play out in 2022 with Aaron Rodger at quarterback.

Although Lewis was never targeted heavily in the passing game, he was effective, catching 82% of his 77 targets over the last four seasons with six touchdowns, and he knows the LaFleur offense. Perhaps most important, who better for Musgrave and Kraft to learn from than Lewis?

Admittedly, once it became clear this offseason that Rodgers would be joining the New York Jets, I made the assumption that Lewis would be joining him, given their relationship. However, that may not necessarily be the case. Recently, Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Co. reported that there was mutual interest from both the Packers and Lewis in a reunion.

As of now, Spotrac projects that Green Bay has $10.6 million in available cap space, and about $4.5 million of that will be going towards the 2023 draft class. But adding Lewis is a move that won’t break the bank by any means. Up until the 2022 season, his largest cap hit in Green Bay was under $2.5 million. The Packers can also still extend Rashan Gary, which will create additional cap space for the upcoming season.

Perhaps as is the case with the quarterback position, the Packers will first see how the young tight ends perform during OTAs before making a decision. If Green Bay were to add Lewis, down the road, they would then likely have to decide between keeping five tight ends on the roster, something we’ve seen them do previously, or cut Tyler Davis, who led the team in special teams snaps last season.

With that said, for a position group with such little experience and a history throughout the NFL of there being minimal impact from rookie tight ends, adding Lewis to the mix would provide Love with reliability at the position, as Musgrave and Kraft inevitably experience the highs and lows that come in a first NFL season.