Aaron Rodgers has been followed to the New York Jets by a number of Green Bay Packers players - but tight end Marcedes Lewis will not be one of them.
Last week, the Jets finally completed a sensational trade with the Packers to secure the services of the four-time MVP. Rodgers - as well as the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth-round selection - moved to New York in exchange for the 2023 13th overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick (no.42), a sixth-round pick (no.207) and a conditional second round pick.
Since speculation began linking Rodgers with a move to the Jets, a number of former Packers stars have swapped Wisconsin for the bright lights of New York. Receiver duo Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb ensured the future Hall of Famer will have some familiar faces to throw to, while offensive tackle Billy Turner and backup quarterback Tim Boyle also signed with the Jets.
The Jets also hired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who coached on the Packers’ staff from 2019 to 2021, overseeing Rodgers’ recent MVP wins. Amid a number of friendly faces, tight end Lewis - a dependable target for the quarterback in Green Bay - will not follow suit.
The 38-year-old doesn’t put up enormous numbers, but he possesses impressive prowess in both run and pass blocking. According to Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company, Lewis is more interested in returning to the Packers than linking back up with Rodgers in a new setting.
It’s about business rather than a personal slight though, as the tax rate in New York and New Jersey is significantly higher than in Wisconsin. Lewis has also been linked with a move to the Las Vegas Raiders, who play in an income-tax-less state in Nevada.
If Lewis decides to sign and suit up for a team this season, he will set the record for most seasons played by a tight end after he was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He signed with the Packers ahead of the 2018 season.
Lewis enjoyed a productive relationship with Rodgers, whose 18-year tenure in Green Bay came to an end last week. The Packers expressed a willingness to move off the veteran quarterback this offseason and progress with young signal-caller Jordan Love, which opened the door for the Jets.
It will be interesting to see how Rodgers responds after a difficult 2022 campaign; he threw 12 interceptions - the most he threw in a single campaign since 2008, his first year as a starter. He also failed to post a single 300-yard passing game for the first time in his career, while his passer rating of 91.1 was also the lowest since he took there reins in Green Bay as he led the team to an 8-9 record.
