Mike Gesicki should blossom under new coaching staff
By Sean Moon
The Miami Dolphins didn’t get much production out of Mike Gesicki in 2018 but that should change in 2019 with a new coaching staff who should know how to use him.
Big hopes are resurrected at the tight end position this upcoming season for the Miami Dolphins, as Chad O’Shea, the new offensive coordinator should understand how to get the best out of his second-year tight end, Mike Gesicki.
Last season Mike Gesicki was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round at number 42 overall. A 6 foot 6, 245-pound rookie, who played the position of tight end for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Mike Gesicki is an athletic, pass-catching style tight end that was productive in college and was a top-rated prospect at the tight end position last season. It was largely speculated that he would be the savior for the dolphins at the tight end position, something this team has really lacked for the last few seasons.
The former Miami Dolphins staff seem to overlook the fact that Gesicki had struggled with blocking, not only in his rookie season but throughout his collegiate career too. The poor placement and utilization the former Dolphins staff put Mike Gesicki in really hampered his growth and production. Many seem to think that the Dolphins new staff will accelerate his productivity and better utilize his strengths, which is catching the football.
I was very vocal last season with my frustrations about this kid, but the more I study him, the more I realize that Mike Gesicki can be a major force, blocking still needs a lot of work, but if utilized to his strengths and developed better, he can really help this team. Of course, a quarterback who can read a defense and see a tight end wide open in the seam won’t hurt either. So what will this new staff do with Mike Gesicki and how productive will he be?
First, I believe Mike Gesicki will be utilized similarly to how Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were used together. Now in no way am I saying Mike Gesicki is Rob Gronkowski, so calm down. Quick slants or posts in that 10-15 yard area between the hash marks, dribble some 10 yard outs and maybe a few quick seam routes and Gesicki will thrive.
Gronkowski ate a lot of lunches in those two areas for the patriots and I got to suspect that their will be some or a lot of similarities in what Miami’s offense does that the New England Patriots do. Maybe a tweak here or there, but when you have a pass catching tight end with a lot of athleticism you get him involved, and it just so happens Josh Rosen looks often for his tight ends.
Second, this coaching staff must realize that they do not have a do it all tight end in Mike Gesicki. Can he be developed? Yes! Can he learn proper technique in blocking? Yes! Can he someday be a every down tight end? I think it is possible, sure. What you don’t do is put him in there 80 percent of the time as an inline blocker and think he is going to wreck stuff. If last season taught us anything, that is not gonna happen, not yet anyway. I’m hoping the kid has been in the weight room this off-season gaining some mass, that would help him for sure.
Mike Gesicki has the ability to go up after balls and come down with them due to his size and his large catch radius. He was never put in a position to excel at that during his rookie season. I do believe that will change this season, as he will have his rookie season under his belt and hopefully a much better coaching staff around him.
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Mike Gesicki can be a difference maker in this offense and either quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen will utilize him better than Ryan Tannehill did last season. One, because of the offensive scheme and two, Ryan Tannehill never really looked much at his tight ends, except for Charles “Big Play” Clay early in his career.
So, once again my hopes are high for Mike Gesicki, and I believe he will be a game changer and will be very productive under offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea and Head coach Brian Flores. Time will tell and no one has really seen the new Miami Dolphins offense yet, just a lot of speculation at this point, but if it resemble how the New England Patriots use a tight end, then Mike Gesicki should be a star in the making!