NFL News: Mercedes Lewis Returns for 19th Season, Re-Signs with Chicago Bears By Grant Winsauer

According to Ari Meirov, the Chicago Bears are bringing back veteran tight end Mercedes Lewis on a 1-year deal.

People may think this isn’t a big deal because you already have Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett as the teams receiving tight ends. Lewis is more known as a blocking tight end.

With Lewis’ return, the Bears are gaining a seasoned player and a mentor for the rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Lewis’ extensive experience in the league, spanning almost Williams’ entire life, positions him perfectly to guide the young quarterback in reading defenses and making strategic plays. 

According to ESPN.com, in his 19-year career, Lewis has played in 268 games and caught 436 passes on 733 targets for 5,113 yards and 40 touchdowns. He has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Green Bay Packers, and the Bears.

With him just turning 40, I think his years of catching passes are over, but that does not mean that his years of blocking are, and let's be honest: when you are the third tight end on the depth chart, your primary responsibility is to block.

Bears fans should be happy that he is returning because he brought a great deal of veteran leadership to the Bears last season when they had few veterans on the roster.

However, this and the previous seasons should differ because the Bears brought in more offensive talent to help Williams’ development. When you have a rookie quarterback who is getting acclimated to the speed of the NFL, the more veteran leadership the team has, the better because, with their experience, they can help him become a future star in the NFL.