When tight end Mike Gesicki caught 73 passes for the Dolphins in 2021, it seemed like the beginning of something great for the 2018 second-round pick. However, the next two seasons didn’t see him repeating those big numbers.
After Mike McDaniel became the Dolphins head coach in 2022, Gesicki caught 32 passes, and his move to the Patriots last season resulted in even fewer catches and targets. Gesicki joined the Bengals last month and acknowledges that while he “would like to think” he’s still the same player from his breakout season in Miami, he knows he has to prove himself on the field.
“New team, new staff, new quarterback. Everything is new for me,” Gesicki said. “So I have to go out there and earn the trust. It’s more about proving what I’m capable of doing and earning more and more opportunities once football starts. It’s only April. A long way to go.”
The new quarterback, Joe Burrow, is a significant upgrade from New England, and winning his trust early on could greatly benefit Gesicki’s hopes of turning things around in 2024.