DONE DEAL: To begin a franchise-record 19th season, the Bears sign a Pro Bowl tight end.
The Bears sign a Pro Bowl tight end for a franchise-breaking 19th season.
The Chicago Bears are making every effort to have their best season yet in 2024. Following the No. 1 overall selection of USC quarterback Caleb Williams, they added further receiving depth with the No. 9 overall selection of Rome Odunze, a wide receiver from Washington.
By announcing that veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis has returned for what would be a record-breaking 19th season at the position, the team has further confirmed that it is maintaining its core group. When Lewis returned for his 18th season in 2023, he eclipsed the record of 17 seasons held by Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Lewis will have surpassed his own record if he makes an appearance in even one game.
Lewis has been an indispensable member of the Bears, particularly in his role as team leader and mentor. “One of the coolest things in my mind that I got to see was just, you’ve got this guy that’s in the room that’s ascending to be a really high-level player, that has Marcedes there to lean on him to see what kind of professional he is, the mentality he brings, all that stuff,” said Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy of Lewis, according to a report from Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
Luke Getsy, a former offensive coordinator for the Bears, stated in December. “It was those intangibles that made me feel as though—I don’t want to say—I’m pleading, but that this guy is going to have an influence. Additionally, despite his advanced age, he is still performing at an excellent level in his line of work.”
Lewis is used in packages that include blocking, despite his meager 29 yards and one touchdown from the previous campaign. A blocking tight end of Lewis’s caliber is uncommon, which is one of the main reasons the Bears brought him back. Considering the dual threat that Williams can be at quarterback, it makes even more sense. The youthful rookie shown his quickness of gait during his final two seasons at USC and his one season at Oklahoma. Throughout his three years in college, Williams amassed 966 running yards and 27 rushing touchdowns.
Additionally, the Bears added D’Andre Swift, a former running back for the Eagles, thus creating openings for runs will be critical to the team’s offensive strategy. If Lewis is asked to block, it may also fool the opposition into believing that a run is about to be scored, allowing Williams to blow it clear.
This Bears team is preparing for potential trouble in 2024 by making sure every weapon is available on both sides of the ball. Gerald Everett, a recent addition to the squad, and Cole Kmet, another tight end, are among the other tight ends that Lewis can share his wealth of expertise with.
Lewis spent 12 seasons with the Jaguars after being selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2018, he agreed to a one-year contract with the Packers, then extended to a five-year stay. The Bears then signed Lewis in August of 2023. His one-year contract will now be extended by one year.
