Now 40 years old, Lewis contributed to the Bears last season with four receptions, but his true value came from his blocking prowess. Known as "Big Dog" to his teammates, Lewis was graded as the fifth-best run blocker among tight ends by Pro Football Focus (PFF) last year.
In fact, his exceptional blocking earned him the fifth-highest overall PFF grade among all tight ends. He played 332 offensive snaps, accounting for 29% of plays when he was available. Although the Bears only utilized Lewis on 17 special teams plays, a tight end with his blocking skills could become a crucial asset on kick returns this year, especially with the new rule changes.
During the offseason, the Bears have been evaluating Stephen Carlson, Tommy Sweeney, and Brenden Bates for the third tight end spot behind Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett. Bates joined the team as an undrafted free agent after this year's draft, Carlson spent last year on the practice squad following an injury-plagued stint with Cleveland, and Sweeney's career in Buffalo was interrupted by a series of injuries and illness.
A 2006 draft pick by Jacksonville, Lewis played with the Jaguars through 2017, then spent five seasons with Green Bay before joining the Bears last year.
