Jaguars have decision to make with Marcedes Lewis 2018 option

What to do with the 2018 franchise tag isn’t the only decision the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to have to think about this offseason, as more immediately the team will need to make a decision on long time tight end Marcedes Lewis. By the end of Tuesday, February 20th (4 p.m.) the Jaguars must decide whether or not to pick up Lewis’ 2018 option, which would pay him $3.7 million.

If the Jaguars pick up the option, Lewis will be a pending free agent after the 2018 season. Lewis, 33, was originally drafted by the Jaguars with the 28th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and has been a big piece of their offense for the past decade.

While Lewis never quite translated the receiving game threat he was in college at UCLA, he was still a fantastic all-around tight end in the Jaguars offense going on 12 seasons. You can clearly see some decline in Lewis’ game, especially in the receiving front with loss of speed and quickness, but he’s still been a solid player in the run game and in pass protection.

Tight end is a place the Jaguars are likely going to focus this offseason, but it’s possible the changing of the guard could take place before the new guy even gets here.