Miami Dolphins Mike Gesicki goes back to his college number

The Miami Dolphins will have a new number at tight-end this year as Mike Gesicki will be donning his college number 88 moving forward.

There are a lot of players that have superstitions about their jersey number. Mike Gesicki might be one of them. Last year after he was drafted in the second round, Gesicki wore the number 86.

Some speculation ran through the internet vine of rumor and speculation that Gesicki would somehow finagle the 88 from Leonte Carroo. That didn’t happen and when Carroo made the final 53 man roster, Gesicki was left with 86.

Carroo is no longer a member of the team so it only made sense for Gesicki to move back to the number he wore at Penn State.  And he gets it this time for free. Now will it bring him better fortunes?

Gesicki’s rookie season was not all that thrilling. In part he struggled with blocking assignments and in part he seemed held back by head coach Adam Gase. Now with new coaches in place and an offensive coordinator who has seen how tight-ends can change the game, many believe that Gesicki can turn a corner. Of course there are just as many naysayers who still him as a soon to be bust in the NFL.

Traditionally it is difficult for a tight-end to make the complicated adjustments to the NFL. Offensive systems are far more intricate at this level and tight-ends have a lot to learn with the playbooks. From blocking assignments to defensive reads and proper route running, the hands part of the game is only part that seems to be the given.

Now it is only a matter of Chad O’Shea finding the right way to use him. Perhaps he will feel a little less superstitious now that he has his number back.