The Broncos are certainly showing their hand when it comes to tight ends. After reports of trade interest in the position, the team made multiple waiver claims and has now gone through with a Marcedes Lewis workout.
Attempting to play a 20th NFL season, Lewis met with the Broncos about a gig (per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Lewis spent the past two seasons with the Bears, being used regularly as a blocker despite his advanced age. At 41, Lewis is attempting to make history on multiple fronts.
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Lewis already the oldest pure tight end in NFL history. In terms of skill positions, only Jerry Rice has played beyond his age-39 season. Rice played his age-41 season in Oakland in 2003 and kept going at 42, being traded to Seattle midseason. Being in a conversation with the greatest skill player in NFL history is certainly notable for Lewis, even if he does not end up catching on with Denver (where Rice held his retirement presser after a summer 2005 attempt to catch on with the Broncos).
The Broncos are eyeing Lewis for a role complementing Evan Engram and Adam Trautman. Rather than seek a pass-catching tight end to give Engram some help after a sluggish start, Denver is believed to want depth help. Lucas Krull‘s foot surgery will put his return from IR in doubt, and fullback/TE Nate Adkins suffered a knee injury Sunday. Engram and Trautman reside as Denver’s top two tight ends, but another could join the duo soon.
A 2006 first-round pick, Lewis has proven an incredibly durable player even into his 40s. He has not missed a game since the 2021 season. After a 12-year Jaguars tenure, Lewis played five Packers seasons. Primarily working as a blocker in Green Bay and Chicago, Lewis played more than 40% of the Packers’ offensive snaps from 2019-22. With Chicago, his usage dipped toward the 20% threshold.
Last season, Lewis played 19% of the Bears’ snaps. He started eight games and caught five passes as a Bear but was mostly used in the run game. Lewis has played in 285 career games, starting 229. He would be more than 10 years older than every Broncos offensive player save for Garett Bolles (33). But Lewis recently held a role as a third tight end, complementing Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett in Chicago last year.
In addition to Lewis, the Broncos telegraphed their interest in TE help by submitting two waiver claims Monday. The team attempted to add tight ends Brenden Bates and Ben Sims, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Teams with better waiver priorities (Browns, Vikings) were awarded the players. The Texans waived Bates, while the Packers cut Sims. Adkins remains on Denver’s active roster, but a move for another option here appears imminent.