A second-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2018, tight end Mike Gesicki looked like a player on the rise, posting a 73-780-2 line in 2021 to give him a total of 177 receptions, 2,053 yards, and 13 touchdowns over a three-year stretch. Miami thought enough of Gesicki to slap the franchise tag on him. Heading into Year 5 with new head coach Mike McDaniel arriving, the future looked bright for Gesicki.
Instead, McDaniel brought an offensive attack predicated on speed and vertical shots, built around wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the result was a marginalized role for Gesicki. After seeing an average of 95 targets over his previous three seasons, the Penn State alum had just 52 in 2022, and — outside of his five touchdowns — his numbers fell to non-rookie lows (32-362-5).
Coming off a down year, Gesicki inked a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. The thought process was clear: give new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien another talented tight end to pair with TE Hunter Henry and watch as that duo recreates the magic seen during O’Brien’s previous run with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. It didn’t work out that way.
