The Chicago Bears caught fans by surprise when they agreed to sign veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis to a one-year contract at $2 million. Many felt the team was set at tight end with the pairing of Cole Kmet and Robert Tonyan. Adding a 39-year-old like Lewis didn’t make sense for such a young team. Yet it was precisely because of that youth that GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus made the deal. One thing they felt their team lacked, especially on offense, was veteran leadership.
Only one of the 11 projected starters for the Bears is over the age of 26. It is a full-blown youth movement on that side of the ball. That can be great for the speed and athleticism department, but it also comes with a lack of winning experience. Lewis is revered as an outstanding leader, beloved by teammates everywhere he’s been. Just look at what Aaron Rodgers had to say about him.
“What are the old commercials, the, ‘This costs this much and this costs this much and then this is priceless?’” Rodgers asked as he tried to explain Lewis’ value. “That’s how I feel about ‘Big Dog.’ His salary is X. He’s been on the team this many years. But his true value is priceless. Because it’s so much more than just his on-the-field production. It’s his presence, his personality, his leadership, his countenance, his energy, everything he brings to the squad.”
If you want further ideas of what players think of him, here are two more examples. Look at how much Keisean Nixon and Rasul Douglas begged the Packers to re-sign him and how big of a reaction Lucas Patrick had when Chicago got him instead.
Marcedes Lewis doesn’t need big stats to have an impact.
His leadership alone will be worth the investment. This is a man who has seen the ups and downs of the NFL. He was with Jacksonville during their great playoff run in 2007, where they upset Pittsburgh, went through a long dark period for the next nine seasons, and then helped them reach the AFC championship in his final season there. Then Lewis joined Green Bay during their ugly 2018 season, stuck around despite a coaching change, and helped them rebound to back-to-back NFC championships.
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Few understand how to handle adversity better than Marcedes Lewis. He also knows how to appreciate the time you have in the NFL. It doesn’t last long. That is one of his many messages to younger players. If that weren’t enough, he also remains one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. Green Bay’s dominant wide-zone rushing attack under Matt Lafleur never would’ve functioned so well without his presence. Now he will get to do the same in Chicago, even if it’s only for one year. The Bears must take advantage while they can.
Packers’ players just realized that the Bears signed Lucas Patrick, last year.
And, many of them just can’t stop laughing!
Great