Miami Dolphins: Can Mike Gesicki be a top 5 tight end?

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki was one of the better tight ends in the league last season. Can he finish in the top-5 against this year?

One of the most compelling players to watch this upcoming season for the Miami Dolphins is fourth-year tight end Mike Gesicki.

Highly touted out of college for his incredible hands and insane catch radius, Miami wisely spent a second round pick on Gesicki back in the 2018 Draft. There were knocks on his ability to block (an issue that still remains), but they were outweighed by his talent ceiling in other areas. After seeing limited targets during his rookie season and starting sparingly behind Nick O’Leary, he has come on over the last two years.

In 2020, Gesicki amassed over 700 yards and pulled down a career-high six touchdowns after a five touchdown performance the season prior. He finished fourth among tight ends in receiving yards despite finishing 12th in both catches and targets, behind only Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and T.J. Hockenson. His performance put him in the top-5 in a handful of tight end statistical categories.

But is his progression sustainable, and can he continue to put up the necessary numbers in order to be considered a bona fide top-5 tight end in the league?

Much of it will depend on the development of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the functionality of the Dolphins’ offense. There are new weapons surrounding Gesicki, and he could benefit from relaxed coverages and take advantage of slower linebackers. He has the physical tools to be dominant over the middle, and has reliable enough hands to be a constant threat in the red zone as well as down the sideline. As the playbook opens for Tagovailoa, the opportunities for Gesicki will be aplenty. He will remain in the statistical top 5 among tight ends if things go to plan in Miami.

However, there are some factors that could work against him. Not only could the Dolphins’ offense end up struggling, but other players at the position around the league could improve enough to knock Gesicki out of the top of the rankings. Young guys like Hockenson and Noah Fant could unseat the Dolphins’ tight end, and the pair of free agents that the Patriots signed will also be dangerous. The player most likely to eclipse Gesicki’s numbers will be George Kittle, who had 634 receiving yards last year despite missing eight games. The 49er had one of the best seasons by a tight end in NFL history in 2018 by putting up nearly 1,400 yards, a number eclipsed by only Travis Kelce last year.

So what is a reasonable expectation for Mike Gesicki next year? A 1,000 yard season would be unlikely, given the infancy of the offense and the number of receivers that will be commanding targets. But 850-900 yards would be a nice progression for Gesicki, and his touchdown numbers should see a boost as well as he becomes more familiar with Tagovailoa in the red zone. If he is able to score 7-9 times and see an increase in his total yardage, then he can sneak in to the top five tight ends next season.