All-Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon has only one thing left on his offseason wishlist for the Green Bay Packers: Bring back tight end Marcedes Lewis.
Nixon made his wish known in a Twitter post on Tuesday night.
“Bring 89 back,” Nixon wrote.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas echoed the sentiment while sharing Nixon’s post: “He’s the definition of a leader.”
Lewis, who turns 39 later this year, is an unrestricted free agent after his contract with the Packers voided. Signed in 2018, he’s played the last five seasons in Green Bay, serving mostly as a valuable in-line run-blocker at tight end.
The Packers drafted Luke Musgrave in the second round and Tucker Kraft in the third round, improving the depth and giving the offense two “all-around players” at tight end, but Lewis could be an important mentor to both, a valuable bridge player as the two rookies learn the NFL game and a capable blocker for the run game.
The Packers have left the door open on a return. In fact, the team handed out several uniform numbers to rookies but kept open the No. 89, Lewis’ number.
According to Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Co., Lewis is open to returning to the Packers.
Money could be an issue. Over the last two seasons, Lewis made almost $8 million combined, including a $3.96 million salary last year. The Packers are getting younger and may not want to spend precious cap dollars on a soon-to-be 39-year-old tight end. But Lewis’ value goes beyond the numbers, and bringing him back could ensure the right type of leadership is in place as the Packers transition out of the Aaron Rodgers era and into the Jordan Love era.
Since the Packers hired Matt LaFleur in 2019, Lewis has played at least 400 snaps and at least 40 percent of the offense’s snaps each season. Despite his age, Lewis has missed just one game in five seasons in Green Bay, playing in 81 of a possible 82 regular season games and all five playoff games.
