Phin Phanatic
FanSided

Miami Dolphins fans wonder where Mike Gesicki has disappeared to

By Brian Miller

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Gesicki #86 of the Miami Dolphins reacts to making a catch for a first down in the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Gesicki #86 of the Miami Dolphins reacts to making a catch for a first down in the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins took a gamble when they drafted Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki and after one season and two camps, they wonder where he is.

Mike Gesicki has been largely overlooked this year in training camp. He had a very nice touchdown catch early that the Dolphins posted a video of on social media. Nothing of substance has really been seen since.

Before we label Gesicki a bust, which many fans want to do, the reality is that tight end is a very tough position to learn at the NFL level. Aside from the blocking assignments, which Gesicki is not good at, despite the route running, which can be very involved for a tight end, Gesicki needs to do more and he may want to do it quickly.

Chad O’Shea has coached tight ends in New England and he has seen first hand what a great tight end can do. The Patriots have got more out of tight ends than any other team in the NFL, arguably. In Miami, Adam Gase was supposed to be able to get a lot of use out of the position. He didn’t. Now with Gesicki and not with Julius Thomas.

The one player that has played well is Nick O’Leary. O’Leary has been consistent but Miami didn’t invest a second-round draft pick on O’Leary. The did on Gesicki.

So what is it that has Gesicki out of view? For starters, playing time in the pre-season. He didn’t see a ton of snaps in week one and when he was on the field the quarterbacks didn’t have a lot of time. Still, Gesicki’s route running hasn’t been anything special. It is an area that he needs to work on. Considering that he was billed as a top pass-catching tight end, this is disappointing.

The good news is that Gesicki is working hard and is being coached up. It needs to translate to the field of play. Tonight the Dolphins will play in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers. It will be something to watch in terms of how many snaps Gesicki takes and what he is doing with them. Dolphins fans continue to wait for that “break-out” game but it hasn’t happened yet. Even a positive pre-season performance can go a long way.

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