Presuming the Jets actually do trade for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a bunch of his Packers buddies could wind up joining him in Florham Park.
As Rodgers Watch continues, three Packers free agents have been linked to the Jets — first wide receivers Allen Lazard (who is pretty good) and Randall Cobb (who is washed up), and now tight end Marcedes Lewis, according to ESPN.
Lewis reportedly has interest from the Jets and Raiders, among other teams.
The Jets already have C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin at tight end, so it would be interesting to see how Lewis would fit in with Rodgers under center. (Likely as a blocker, for the most part.)
This presumes, of course, that the Rodgers-to-Jets trade actually does go through.
For now, though, Tuesday’s trickle of information about the Jets’ interest in his Packers pals continues — Lazard, Cobb, and Lewis. (Is Donald Driver about to coming out of retirement?)
None of this should be surprising, considering Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year) recently said this on a livestream about what he expects to happen if Rodgers is traded to the Jets: “It’s package deals all over. I can’t tell y’all who, but just know.”
The Jets already have an intriguing young offensive weapon in receiver Garrett Wilson, last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. They also have running back Breece Hall, who was thriving last season as a rookie before he tore his ACL. (Wilson and Hall were on that livestream with Gardner.)
As for Lewis, he’s ancient. He will be 39 when next season opens. Last season, he started every game, but had just six catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns. He also started every game for the Packers in 2021, and he had 23 catches for 214 yards and zero touchdowns.
Lewis played for the Packers from 2018-22 after playing for the Jaguars from 2006-17. He’s still durable at this late stage of his career, having not missed a game the past two years. Lewis played 43% and 41% of the Packers’ offensive snaps in 2021 and 2022.
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He primarily served as a blocking tight end for Rodgers. In 2021, he had 54 pass blocking snaps and 288 run blocking out of 504 total. In 2022, he had 73 pass blocking and 256 run blocking out of 451 total. Lewis’ Pro Football Focus run blocking grade in 2021 was 73.6, compared to 76.7 in pass blocking. Those grades dipped a bit in 2022 — 66.6 run blocking, 72.9 pass blocking.
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Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com.