Playing With Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Graham a "No-Brainer" for Marcedes Lewis
-- When the Green Bay Packers signed Marcedes Lewis last week, they did so without much hesitation from either side.
According to the former Jacksonville Jaguars tight end, Green Bay was his only free-agent visit despite multiple teams calling him every day. It didn't take much to win him over other than a couple of All-Pros in Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Graham.
"This was the only place I took my trip to," Lewis said after the Packers' public OTA practice on Thursday. "Aaron was here in the locker room. I started talking to him, started talking to Jimmy. Then I kind of made my decision that day.
"It was weird because when I came down here, I wasn't expecting to sign anything. I was just coming down here to get a feel. But once I saw Aaron and Jimmy, it was a no-brainer after that."
Lewis, who caught five touchdowns in his 12th and final season with the Jaguars in 2017, can be more than just the top run-blocking tight end he was ranked as by Pro Football Focus. Having someone with that much experience capable of still playing on an extended basis in an offense engineered by Rodgers could be a worthwhile pairing.
He'd be paired with Jimmy Graham, who the Packers signed in March.
Graham, who Lewis knew prior to signing with the Packers, is more often than not going to be split out wide and into the slot as an extra receiver rather than the traditional tight end position that anchors the ends of the offensive line.
Both targets, along with the returning Lance Kendricks, sport a combined 27 years worth of experience. It's a trio that coach Mike McCarthy on Thursday said may have been the most experienced the Packers have had.
Lewis has been on the receiving end of mostly subpar-to-below average quarterback play throughout his career. That could very well change with Rodgers, who is rebounding after missing nine games last season with a broken collarbone.
"I pride myself on being a really good all-around tight end," Lewis said. "I can do whatever it is that I'm called upon to do, but that's one thing Aaron said as well. Obviously, I'm a really good blocker. But I didn't come here to be a tackle.
"Learn the offense, accelerate this whole deal. I'll be on the other side of Jimmy doing some good things. It's going to be trouble out there."
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (11)
NickPerry
June 01, 2018 at 05:10 am
I have a feeling the next few years during FA will have quite a few of these types of signings. Established veterans who were cut for salary cap reasons or just cut by rebuilding teams will find their way to GB. Rodgers is a HUGE drawing card for a player to want to come to GB, especially those without a ring.
Just look at what Rodgers has done the last few years without a lot of talent finding it's way to the roster under Thompson. Now with a GM who REALLY DOES seem to leave no stone un-turned, players like Lewis, Bell, and Williams will be the difference in just making the playoffs to winning a SB.
dobber
June 01, 2018 at 07:38 am
After the draft, many were wondering how this team could be a SB contender in 2018 with some of the holes it had. Several people here said that if BG viewed the draft as the end of player acquisition for the off-season, it would be tough in 2018. The roster is still changing and shaping, and it's happening as they get a look at what they have (OTAs, rookie camps), so I'm optimistic that it's a true evaluation and not just corralling pieces.
With that said, let's not forget how we looked at the signings last off-season and through the end of camp. These guys still need to get on the field, perform, and stay healthy. Nobody's using the phrase "all-in" as we sometimes saw last fall.
Thegreatreynoldo
June 01, 2018 at 11:34 am
I think we are getting mighty close to being "all in" for 2018. There is a decent chance that Gute rolls over less money into 2019 than he inherited from TT. Maybe breaking into the piggy bank (rollover $) doesn't quite count as "all in" since he could manipulate cap hits more severely to backload them (though Graham, in particular, is pretty heavily back-loaded) or re-structure current contracts to push cap hits down the road, but depending on one's definition, it should be close to it.
Cartwright
June 01, 2018 at 06:28 am
It's scary to think what this could potentially look like during the regular season. I envision one of our RB's run for a thousand like Lewis helped Fournett get at Jacksonville. When Bulaga returns health I think we may steamroll.
Doug_In_Sandpoint
June 01, 2018 at 06:44 am
"It's going to be trouble out there." Man, I love this. If we can get just one of our rookie or second year WRs to make a jump, this offense could be unstoppable.
I also have the feeling the D will create more turnovers this year. A short field with this O could look like 2011 again.
Johnblood27
June 01, 2018 at 07:54 am
I will dust this off again...
With all of the changes in the NFL, lets use the rules to our favor and be truly innovative.
Lets use Lewis as a Tackle and run consistent tackle eligible plays. His blocking prowess makes this entirely realistic.
WHY you ask?
In todays pass happy league and rules favoring the receiving offense why not use the rules to get an additional eligible receiver on the field?
Graham, Adams, Cobb, Jones, Montgomery, Lewis all on the field with 4 OL and AR.
use imaginative formations and get the ball out of AR's hand quickly to negate the potential pressure of blitzers vs 4 OL. With Lewis ability to block runs could work too.
THIS is innovation in response to rule changes while utilizing existing rules (tackle eligible) that some may view as archaic.
Some see challenges, I see opportunities.
This would take the Packer offense to an unseen level in the history of the NFL. This would be the equivalent of the Packers opening up the passing game with Don Hutson.
AR is the perfect QB to execute this scheme. He is brilliant, very quick witted, rocket armed, quick release and absolutely rises to challenges, especially innovative ones like this that could extend his career and catapult his legacy to unbelievable status.
If only McLardy realized what he had right in front of him.
kevgk
June 01, 2018 at 09:17 am
Thats ambitious to say the least
Thegreatreynoldo
June 01, 2018 at 12:30 pm
Can you do that? Doesn't the offense still have to have 7 on the LOS and 5 players lined up on the LOS who are ineligible? NE put RB Vereen in the slot on the line of scrimmage and then had Vereen report himself as ineligible. Vereen being covered up by a WR while on the LOS also made him ineligible. That made LT Houmanawanui eligible since he reported in as eligible and was not covered up by a WR (both WRs to the LT's left were off the line of scrimmage). But NE didn't gain an extra eligible receiver: it merely confused the defense as to which players were eligible.
Other than having the QB lateral the ball to one of the other ineligible players and then have the QB run a route, I can't think of a way to get a 6th eligible receiver on the field.
4thand1
June 01, 2018 at 08:07 am
I get the feeling that something is different than getting to the playoffs is good enough. We all know to well how gut wrenching a playoff loss is, and it's more evident listening to Rodgers. He's made his share of comments that have made some headlines, but this year seems to have more urgency with him. The comments of playing into his 40's says he wants more titles than one SB. When they were unstopable he spread the ball around and he has a lot of targets now he has Lewis too. The little dump offs to R Rogers never got any extra yards, Lewis will get YAC yards.
Since'61
June 01, 2018 at 09:43 am
If the Packers can solidify the right side of the OL and stay healthy, this offense can be crazy good. I'm thinking about an opposing defense trying to defend against all of our weapons plus deal with the threat of Rodgers breaking out of the pocket and throwing on the run or running for a first down. Should be fun to watch. Thanks, Since '61
snowdog
June 01, 2018 at 12:34 pm
Don't forget the rb's . Both their running skills AND Catching !
Gives me a chubby just thinking about it .