The Packers under new general manager Brian Gutekunst made several splash moves in the offseason this year. Arguably the biggest of those were the signings of Jimmy Graham, and the maneuvering in the first round of the draft that allowed the Packers to get their preferred pick, CB Jaire Alexander, in addition to an additional 2019 first-round pick from the New Orleans Saints.

The team's pickup of Marcedes Lewis was generally lauded as being a solid move for the team, but certainly wasn't the headline-maker the previous two were. But as we saw with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, sometimes it's those veteran role player pickups that make all the difference between contending for and winning a championship.

At 33 years old (now 34), Marcedes Lewis remained one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the league in 2017 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, with whom he had spent his entire career until signing with Green Bay this offseason. Pro Football Focus graded Lewis as its top run-blocking tight end, and that was with a hefty sample size of 517 run-blocking snaps.

So far, it sure seems as though Lewis is impressing in camp.

"His ability to cut off and anchor on a block and maintain at the line of scrimmage has been impressive," said head coach Mike McCarthy in his press conference Thursday morning. "Frankly, we haven't really had that here with a man of his size and ability."

The Packers' tight end pursuits over the last several years are well-documented. For the most part, the Packers have looked for athletic playmakers at the tight end position in the mold of Jimmy Graham, Jared Cook and Jermichael Finley. The team brought in Martellus Bennett last year, expecting him to be a reliable receiving target and a strong presence in the run blocking game. Of course, that decision ended up being a disaster.

With the slow and inconsistent Richard Rodgers not being resigned this offseason and Bennett having left under dubious circumstances, the Packers needed some additional help at the tight end spot to complement Graham, who is just as likely to split out as a wide receiver as he is to put a hand in the dirt. Lance Kendricks produced some occasional highlights in 2017 but did not provide the sort of intensity in the run blocking game Lewis does. 

Considering the talent the Packers now have at the running back position in Aaron Jones, Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams, having a strong run-blocking tight end to pair with Graham opens up a lot of possibilities for the Packers' offense. Two- and even three-tight end sets are a realistic possibility this year. Lewis could also line up in the backfield with Aaron Ripkowski as a lead blocking tandem in a full house formation, something the Packers haven't used regularly in several seasons now.

So while Graham is much more likely to attract headlines and highlights for the Packers this season, the signing of Lewis could turn out to be equally important for the Packers in 2018.