The Miami Dolphins could trade Mike Gesicki but why the may not
By Brian Miller
Mike Gesicki is one of the better tight ends in Miami Dolphins history but in this era of the NFL, keeping good players isn’t always easy.
The 2022 salary cap will rise after dropping this year and the Dolphins could find themselves with a lot of cap space. A franchise tag for Gesicki wouldn’t be out of the question. The former 2nd round pick isn’t eligible for the 5th year option so the Dolphins have only a few choices.
One they could trade him before the trade deadline, extend or re-sign him before March, or put a tag on him.
The Dolphins drafted tight end, Hunter Long, in round three of last month’s draft. Long has a, well, long way to go before he proves himself at this level. We have previously discussed whether or not Long is the replacement plan or just an addition but the truth is, Mike Gesicki would draw interest in a trade.
Miami has quite a few TEs on the roster but we know that most will not make it. The Dolphins will need to decide if Durham Smythe will return in 2022 as well but their immediate focus will need to be on Gesicki.
A franchise tag, according to Spotrac.com, could cost Miami just over $10 million if 2022 tag projections hold true. Miami could easily absorb that hit and re-signing Gesicki would likely come in only slightly lower than that on average yearly cap number.
It isn’t known what Gesicki might bring the Dolphins in return if he were traded but Chris Grier loves draft capital and no one ever seems to be 100% safe.
That being said, while it is always a possibility, the Dolphins would be better served to get Gesicki under contract long term. I would guess that negotiations would begin mid-season or after the season concludes. The Dolphins may very well hit on Hunter Long but if they do, having two tight ends that could border on being or becoming elite would be special for the offense.
We know that a lot of what Brian Flores is bringing to Miami are things he learned from Bill Belichick in New England and one of Belichick’s offensive strategies has been to have two quality TEs available for his QB. That is the reason I tend to lean more towards the Dolphins keeping Gesicki beyond the 2021 season.