2019 NFL free agency: Packers to re-sign Marcedes Lewis to 1-year deal, per report

The Green Bay Packers’ new blocking tight end is the same as their old one. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team will re-sign veteran Marcedes Lewis to a one-year deal.

Lewis joined the Packers last offseason to fortify the tight-end position. At the time, it seemed he would serve mostly as a blocker with additional snaps coming in the red zone. Those opportunities never quite arose, as Lewis played just 191 total snaps and saw just four targets the entire year.

Shortly after the season concluded, Lewis discussed some of the dysfunction with the Packers coaching staff with Yahoo Sports. He discussed an incident when quarterback Aaron Rodgers ignored then-coach Mike McCarthy’s play call as well as the schematic issues for the tight ends. McCarthy lost his job hours after Green Bay lost to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13.

McCarthy’s replacement, former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, runs an offense that heavily utilizes outside-zone runs. Those plays typically require one or more tight ends to block effectively, something Lewis can still offer as he enters his age-35 season.

With Lewis back in the fold, the Packers will return three tight ends -- Jimmy Graham and Robert Tonyan being the others -- who played meaningful snaps in 2018.