ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The sight of newly signed 41-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis on the practice field Wednesday brought sighs of relief and moments of awe to the Denver Broncos.
“It was pretty cool,” quarterback Bo Nix said. “He didn’t look like he was playing as that old of a veteran. But he’s going to, I’m sure, help us out in different ways. I remember watching him growing up so I’m excited to be teammates with him."
The Broncos signed Lewis
to their practice squad, and he's a candidate for a game-day elevation, possibly as soon as Sunday’s game in Houston against the Texans (3-4) as the Broncos (6-2) try to extend their winning streak to six.
Evan Engram and Adam Trautman are the Broncos' only healthy tight ends with Lucas Krull (foot) on IR and Nate Adkins suffering a knee injury last weekend in Denver's 44-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Adkins also routinely lined up at fullback and H-back, and Lewis has long been one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL.
Once a terrific pass-catcher, “now I’m a point-of-contact blocker,” Lewis said. “I take that very seriously.”
Lewis' locker is next to Nix's, “so I'm sure we'll get to know each other and then eventually, when we're on the field together, it'll be nice knowing he's got our back,” Nix said.
Lewis was a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of UCLA in 2006, the same year that Broncos coach Sean Payton got his first head coaching gig in New Orleans. Lewis played 12 seasons in Jacksonville, five in Green Bay and the last two in Chicago, where he appeared in all 17 games last season.
“I think he’s obsessed with taking care of himself,” Payton said. “That has a lot to do with it. ... He’s been training two times a day, and then in the workout, you can see that he’s in shape.”
And right away, he's the best blocking tight end on the Broncos' roster.
“I think when he’s 55 he’s going to be able to block the D gap,” Payton cracked.
In which case, the Broncos are getting him at a relatively young age.
“We used to say that about Vinny Testaverde, like when he's 60 he's still going to throw a pretty ball,” Payton said. “And I just think all the other things that come with him are assets for our team.”
Lewis said he was at peace without football this fall but stayed in shape in case a team would come calling with the chance at a 20th NFL season, and he was thrilled it was the Broncos, who lead the AFC West.
He almost missed the opportunity, though. He initially ignored general manager George Paton's call.
“I saw a number pop up on my phone and it was a Denver number. Obviously, I don't have it saved so I didn't answer it at first. I thought it was spam," Lewis said. “And then I got another call and then the GM left a message. I called him back and he was like, ‘Can you hop on a plane tonight?’ And I'm like, 'Of course, I'm there.'”
Lewis wasted no time impressing the Broncos' brass in his workout Tuesday.
“I knew he’d been training, I know he’s in great shape,” Payton said. “He’s a tremendous blocker. I think you don’t want to get caught where, man, it’s got to be ‘Jumbo,’” where an extra offensive lineman is declared eligible, which tips off defenses about what play is coming. “So, we brought him in for a workout, brought him onto our practice squad. I’m glad he’s here." He’s a tremendous leader.”
And very much unlike most midseason practice squad additions.
“A lot of conversations were being had on the field," wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys on the team. Some guys were very, very, very young when he first got into the league and the amount of knowledge that he probably has, I’ve gotten to talk to him a little bit but I can’t wait to just pick his brain on just the stuff that he knows, the stuff that he’s seen, the stuff that he’s experienced.”
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