Re-signing a 39-year-old tight end who has only caught four receptions this season shouldn’t be too tough of a choice for a team. However, veteran tight end Marcelles Lewis is not your ordinary athlete, and the Chicago Bears must determine if it is worth it to keep him around for another season.

Lewis played in all 17 of Chicago‘s games last season, including four starts, after agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $2 million ($1 million guaranteed). Lewis is a significant player of the club despite just catching four passes on five targets for 29 yards and a touchdown. These are his additional contributions.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles stated, “I do want to single out Marcedes Lewis,” during the team’s year-end press conference. “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.”