The Chicago Bears are set to re-sign veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, according to NFL insider Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

Lewis “is heading to Chicago to meet with the team tomorrow with intention of re-signing there,” according to Glazer. If nothing unexpected happens, Lewis will be entering his 19th season as a backup quarterback.

Lewis is seen as one of the top run-blocking tight ends in the NFL, despite his little impact as a pass catcher for the Bears in his one and only season with the organization last year. The Bears’ running game and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will benefit greatly from his blocking abilities.

The seasoned tight end, who turned 40 in May, complements the team’s tight end group well and provides strong leadership both on and off the field.

Bears Re-Signing TE Marcedes Lewis Doesn’t Come As a Surprise

Lewis caught just four passes on five targets for 29 yards and a touchdown in 17 games (four starts) with the Bears last season, but he was a huge asset to the run game and former QB Justin Fields, often leading the way on plays like this:

With Williams entering his rookie campaign, having a seasoned vet with Lewis’s experience should be an invaluable resource.

Lewis earned a 68.4 pass block grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, which isn’t anything to write home about, but his 77.1 overall grade from PFF ranked fifth amongst all TEs in the league (h/t Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron).

He was also singled out by Bears general manager Ryan Poles after the team’s 2023 season concluded.

“I do want to single out Marcedes Lewis,” Poles said about Lewis at the team’s year-end presser. “That’s a special human being and I know he’s played a lot in this league but was a really key addition to our staff, our team and locker room, the leadership through some of the hard times, the things that he said to pull guys together was outstanding and I’m really, really thankful for him.”

It’s clear Poles’ admiration for Lewis is real, and now, the Bears have essentially added another strong piece to their run game.

Bears Are Looking Good at TE Heading Into 2024 Season

Lewis joins a tight ends room led by Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, giving the Bears three solid vets with very versatile skill sets.

Kmet, 25, is set to begin Year 5 with Chicago. He’s coming off career highs in yardage (719) and receptions (73) and has hauled in 13 touchdowns over the last two seasons. A reliable pass catcher and solid blocker, Kmet has yet to miss a game.

This offseason, the 29-year-old Everett inked a $12 million, two-year contract with the Bears. Everett, who has at least 400 receiving yards in each of the previous five seasons, should provide the Bears with another solid option at tight end to go with Kmet.

Everett is a strong athlete with steady hands and a good play speed. On June 3, former Bears scout Greg Gabriel wrote for Windy City Gridiron, praising the player for his ability to regularly get open and his strong running after the catch.

As a move guy, Everett doesn’t have to be a blocker like Kmet is, Gabriel continued. He is typically lined up flexed out as a wing or slot, and when he is flexed out as a tight end, he is more than capable of playing as a