Chicago Bears eyeing reunion with respected veteran leader

On Sunday afternoon, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that tight end Marcedes Lewis will visit the Chicago Bears on Monday in hopes of re-signing with the team ahead of the 2024 season.

What is Marcedes Lewis's Role with the Chicago Bears in 2024?

For Lewis, who turned 40 less than a month ago, this season would mark his 19th in the NFL, as Glazer noted in his social media post, but it would be just his second season in the Windy City. Despite not having an illustrious career as a Bear, Lewis remains a potentially valuable member of the offense and the team as a whole, and his return to Chicago should be a good sign for the prognosis of this young offensive group.

The Bears are attempting to change a lot on offense this season, including a new rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams, who is working with the team's new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who will have several new weapons to work with in Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, Gerald Everett, D'Andre Swift, and others.

Bringing in a steady veteran with nearly two decades of NFL experience like Lewis would certainly bring a different perspective to this budding offense, and he may prove to be a valuable mentor, both on and off the field, for the highly-celebrated players set to star in the team's offense.

Lewis's true value may be that closer to a coach than that of a reliable target at the tight end position, but with the reputation as one of the league's premier in-line blockers, Lewis has put together a nice run over the past couple of seasons, including missing only one contest since the 2020 season.

A year ago with the Bears, Lewis hauled in four catches for 29 yards and one touchdown, but his impact on the team undoubtedly goes far beyond his box score. Last season, Lewis was the team's sole position player over 32 years old, a testament to the youth on the roster over the past few seasons. The roster now stands in a similar position, with Keenan Allen serving as the sole non-special teams starter at that age, but the imminent addition of Lewis would compound the real-game experiences that could be shared in offensive meeting rooms.

As the summer rolls on and training camps approach, every team will look to add to and complement their current rosters. In the case of the Bears, who have plenty of talent but few veteran leaders, adding older, extremely experienced players like Lewis appears to help as a stopgap for the team's general lack of professional experience, and it would not be surprising to see the team continue this trend as the offseason continues, especially at positions of need such as defensive and offensive line.