Ranking the Miami Dolphins TE’s behind Mike Gesicki
By Brian Miller
Adam Shaheen and Durham Smythe are very close when it comes to who is better. For me, Shaheen is better in the passing game.
Shaheen has five years of NFL experience with three of those in Chicago. He joined the Dolphins as a free agent in 2020. His stats are comparable to each other with both teams.
- Chicago
- 27 games, 13 starts, 33 targets, 26 receptions, 509 yards, 7 touchdowns
- Miami
- 28 games, 12 starts, 38 targets, 24 receptions, 260 yards, 3 touchdowns
Miami gave Shaheen a short extension in 2021 but it isn’t a big enough deal to believe that Shaheen is 100% safe to make the roster. Still, it is a show that Miami believes he can contribute to the team and so far he has when he has been called upon.
While Shaheen may have more experience than Smythe, there is more upside at this point to Smythe and in some ways, Smythe is a better and more rounded tight end.
The Miami Dolphins kept Smythe off of the free-agent market by signing him to an extension, even before they put the franchise tag on Mike Gesicki.
Gesicki was the first to report Smythe’s extension. The two are very close friends and Gesicki was excited that Smythe got extended.
Smythe was taken two rounds after Gesicki in the 2018 NFL draft. He has now completed four full seasons and is reliable having missed only two games in his career.
A quality blocking TE, Smythe might actually be the most well-rounded TE on the roster and that includes Gesicki. His blocking isn’t on par with the greats at the position but it is serviceable and his passing stats show that he can get open and catch the football.
In his four seasons, Smythe has caught 73 passes on 95 targets for 680 yards and two touchdowns. His numbers might not light up the rankings in the NFL but he does exactly what the Dolphins need him to do.