Bears Rumors: Marcedes Lewis Agrees to Contract After 5 Seasons with Packers

Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Chicago Bears on Friday, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network first reported a deal was being finalized.

Pelissero noted that if Lewis makes the Bears' roster and appears in a regular-season game, 2023 will be his 18th NFL season, breaking a record for tight ends that he previously shared with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and future Hall of Famer Jason Witten.

The 39-year-old Lewis spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars before playing the past five seasons for the Green Bay Packers.

Originally the No. 28 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft out of UCLA, Lewis has settled into a blocking role over the past several season after being a receiving threat earlier in his career.

During his five-year stint in Green Bay, Lewis never finished with more than 214 receiving yards in a season, but he was a key part of opening up running lanes for running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, and protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Last season, Lewis started all 17 games for the Packers, registering six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

His best statistical season came back in 2010 with the Jags when Lewis set career highs with 58 receptions for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to his only Pro Bowl selection.

For his career, Lewis has appeared in 251 regular-season games, totaling 432 catches for 5,084 yards and 39 touchdowns.

In Chicago, Lewis is set to join starting tight end Cole Kmet, as well as No. 2 tight end Robert Tonyan, who was Lewis' teammate for five years in Green Bay.

If Lewis makes the team, he will essentially become an extension of the offensive line and a key blocker for running backs Khalil Herbert, D'Onta Foreman and rookie fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson.

Additionally, Lewis would aid in the protection of third-year quarterback Justin Fields, who is looking to take the next step in 2023 after leading all quarterbacks with 1,143 rushing yards last season.