Big Dog Is What The Packers Need For Christmas

The Green Bay Packers suffer myriad injuries week after week, and no position group is in more dire straits than the tight ends.

The Packers already lost Tucker Kraft, who was well on his way to an All-Pro season, in Week 9. Last week, Josh Whyle, a fun new addition who's made some nice plays, suffered a concussion and missed the disaster in Chicago. This week, John FitzPatrick, the best blocker and do-it-all tight end after Kraft, left the Bears game with a devastating Achilles injury.

Green Bay already went into the Bears game with only two tight ends on the roster, Luke Musgrave and FitzPatrick. Now, Musgrave is the only tight end on the active roster until Whyle exits concussion protocol. The closest thing the Packers have to a “TE2” is Darian Kinnard, the OT who plays the sixth offensive lineman role in big sets.

It's safe to say Green Bay needs some bodies at tight end.

Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst will need to consider every option to fill those roles, including Drake Dabney and McCallan Castles from the practice squad. This late in the season, there aren't many quality options out there for position-needy teams. But there is at least one option that makes a ton of sense for the Packers.

Marcedes “Big Dog” Lewis.

It sounds like a fan nostalgic for the return of a favorite player the team moved on from, and it is. But the 41-year-old former Packer is still in the league, currently on the Denver Broncos' practice squad. It would have been worth at least inquiring about Lewis before the Packers traveled to Denver. However, a reunion makes sense in the wake of FitzPatrick's exit, even with Green Bay's aversion to signing older players.

Generally, when Gutekunst decides it's time to move on from a player, he's right more often than not. Fans like the idea of reunions much more than NFL executives. We just recently heard a story about how the Packers wouldn't even make a late-career J.J. Watt a minimum offer.

But at this point in the season, how many quality tight ends are just sitting out there? And tight ends who also have familiarity with the offense — and I have their jersey?

FitzPatrick might not be a household name outside of the Packers fandom. Still, he's been a major part of their offense, playing 335 snaps, and is the most “complete” tight end, sans Kraft.

FitzPatrick was the best blocking tight end left on the roster and made a few nice plays as a passing weapon. He was a valuable cog in the offensive machine. Without Kraft, the Packers already have to use more six-man offensive linemen sets, allowing Kinnard to essentially play the blocking tight end role.

Luke Musgrave has made some nice plays after a rough early stretch, but he's at his best as a downhill weapon. The Packers need blockers, especially with a banged-up and underperforming offensive line.

For five years with the Packers, Lewis was that quintessential blocking tight end. Lewis beatifully played that “sixth offensive lineman” type role better than most offensive linemen, while also offering value as a weapon with reliable hands. He saw fewer opportunities in the passing game in 2022, his final season in Green Bay. Still, he caught six of his seven targets for 66 yards, five first downs, and two touchdowns.

Lewis went to Chicago after his Green Bay stint ended, thanks to his familiarity with their offensive coordinator at the time, Luke Getsy, the former Green Bay quarterbacks coach and now senior assistant. Lewis' role diminished over time, and with Chicago investing in tight ends and under a new regime, the Bears moved on.

In October, Lewis joined the Broncos. Lewis spent time on Denver's active roster, where, in Week 9, he became the oldest tight end and the oldest Broncos player to play an NFL game. In his four games on the active roster, Lewis wasn't targeted but still showed his value as a blocker.

If you want a blocking tight end who can pick up the offense quickly, because he played in it before, there aren't many options better than Big Dog out there. Even if the venerable tight end isn't an every-down player, he can bring a ton of value as a blocker and as a surprising weapon to move the chains. It also frees up Kinnard in case further injuries plague the offensive line.

The Packers don't typically sign older players, but Lewis was a valuable member of the team and a leader. With only two regular-season games left, it's not a major commitment to bring Lewis back and quickly re-integrate him into the offense. It will also help extend Lewis' Hall of Fame career, something Green Bay's owner (me) thinks is a top priority.

The Packers will surely make moves at tight end this week, whether it involves just their own practice squad guys or some outside hires. Even if Lewis isn't the only tight end the Packers reach out to, he would be a valuable addition at this point in the season. There's nostalgia at work, sure, but it's a move that's easy and has a lot of upside for the Packers.