Miami Dolphins: Mike Gesicki should be holding out not Xavien Howard

The Miami Dolphins completed their final mandatory and voluntary camp of the season and Xavien Howard wasn’t there. Mike Gesicki was.

The debate on whether or not to pay Xavien Howard more money on a contract that he signed in 2019 and one that still has three years left continues to rage on social media and around the water cooler. Howard’s decision to say away from workouts wasn’t unexpected, even for his head coach.

Howard had an elite season in 2020 and he had a very good season in 2018 that led to his big contract, a contract at the time that made him the highest-paid corner in the NFL. That was trumped by the Byron Jones deal Miami made last off-season.

While Howard sits out, Mike Gesicki is practicing. If anyone has a beef about their contract, Gesicki is the one that should be sitting out asking for more.

While Howard is the 2nd highest-paid player on the Dolphins roster, Gesicki isn’t even the highest-paid player at his position. He also isn’t under contract after this year. An impending 2022 free agent who should be negotiating an extension like Jerom Baker.

Cethan Carter is the highest-paid TE on the Dolphins roster. He is making $2.7 million in 2021. If he is released in camp, Carter will cost the Dolphins $1.2 million in dead cap space. That is about 100K less than Miami would save by cutting Gesicki.

Gesicki isn’t even the second-highest-paid tight end. That honor goes to Durham Smythe who was drafted in the same year as Gesicki two rounds later. Smythe, who will also enter free agency next season, will get paid $2.3 million this year if he makes the roster.

So finally we get to Gesicki, but actually, we don’t. Gesicki isn’t the next in line, that would be Adam Shaheen. Shaheen signed a contract extension last year and will count $2.25 million against the cap this year. He is signed through the 2022 season.

Mike Gesicki comes in at four and will make $2.1 million this year. There is a minimal difference between Gesicki and Carter if you believe that $600K is minimal but the point here is Gesicki is the Dolphins top tight end, entering a contract year, being paid less than the guys behind him, and is grinding with his team.

Gesicki’s contract paid most of his money upfront and he will have earned all of the $6 million he signed for as a rookie but he could very well have opted to stay away and try and work out a deal or force a trade. He didn’t.

Brian Flores wants players that put the team above themselves, seems Mike Gesicki is doing just that and hopefully, the Dolphins will reward him for that.