Predicting the Dolphins TE’s will be tough this year
By Brian Miller
In recent years predicting the final tight-ends that would make the roster was an easy chore. This year won’t be so easy.
The Dolphins have a promising group of tight-ends but not all of them are going to make the final 53 man roster and predicting which ones will and will not make it isn’t as easy as years past.
It was not a surprise when the Dolphins drafted a tight-end in the 2nd round of April’s draft. It was long overdue. Mike Gesicki‘s name had been linked to the Dolphins for a couple of months ahead of the draft but so did other top TE prospects this year.
Miami opted to go with a player who has the size advantage to be a pure pass-catching tight-end and while Gesicki has a lot of work to do to improve at his blocking, Miami didn’t draft him to stay on the line of scrimmage. Miami is hoping the days of needing to keep their tight-end in to block are over.
Locks
Mike Gesicki – Gesicki is now the guy in Miami at tight-end. The starting job is his to lose period but he still has to get better with his routes and his understanding of the Dolphins playbook. He is going to struggle through camp at times as he goes through the growing pains but he could be a major player and should be, on the 2018 Dolphins offense.
Durham Smythe – There is so much to like about this kid. He has good hands that were never really needed at Notre Dame. He can block well in the run game and in pass protection. Smythe will not enter training camp as the number two tight-end but he will likely have it by the end of camp. Smythe could be a big steal for the Dolphins who doubled up on tight-end in April’s draft.
The next group
MarQueis Gray – Gray has been hanging around for a while now and it appeared that he was ready to see more playing time but for whatever reason that hasn’t happened. It’s now unlikely that his time will come in Miami with the addition of Gesicki and Smythe and he could become that third TE that is only a part of certain packages and special teams play.
A.J. Derby – To be honest I believe that Derby is going to have a very good NFL career before it’s all said and one. Unfortunately that will not be with Miami. Derby has four seasons of NFL experience but is on the verge of finally breaking through. He will have a shot to make the Dolphins roster but will he see enough playing time in 2018 to make that next step?
Thomas Duarte – Duarter is a former Dolphins 7th round draft pick and has yet to make an impact outside of being a practice squad player. This year could be his last with Miami as he is unlikely to make the final 53.
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Gavin Escobar – The former 2nd round pick of the Dallas Cowboys entered the NFL with as much hype as Gesicki but he never quite made the jump to the NFL. The Dolphins added him this off-season and the move seemed more or less a back-up plan to not getting the player they wanted in the draft. Escobar is not a good candidate to make the Dolphins roster.
Predictions
As I said this is not an easy one to predict and the Dolphins could opt to carry four tight-ends into the season. Especially if they decide to carry only five receivers initially. There is no question that Smythe and Gesicki make the roster but the third and fourth spots will come down to Derby and Gray. I think they carry both of them.