2022 Miami Dolphins free agents: Walk, tag, re-sign - Mike Gesicki

The NFL offseason is here for the Miami Dolphins, which means it’s time to start planning for 2022. Before we reach the frenzy of free agency and never-ending NFL Draft pick predictions, we need to take a look at the Dolphins’ own players with expiring contracts. We’re walking through all the analysis for each Dolphins player set to hit the open market. Will Miami re-sign the player, place the franchise tag, or let the player walk away in free agency?

The start of the 2022 NFL league year is 10 days away and the franchise tag window closes in just three days. We are getting close to free agency, trades, and teams truly beginning their work for next season. We have been working our way through the list of Miami Dolphins soon-to-be free agents, giving you our take on whether the player should be franchise tagged, re-signed, or allowed to walk away in free agency. That continues today with the player most likely to see the franchise tag for Miami.

Joining our list of players for this year’s edition of the “Walk, Tag, Re-Sign” series is tight end Mike Gesicki.

Background

Position: Tight end

Age (at start of 2022 season): 26

College: Penn State

Experience: Four years

Expiring Contract: Four years, $6.6 million (rookie contract)

2021 Review

Gesicki continues to grow every season, seeing more targets, catching more passes, and adding yardage. In 2021, he caught a career-high 73 passes on a career-high 112 targets for a career-high 780 yards. His yards per reception went down from 13.3 in 2020 to 10.7 last year, and he only caught two touchdown passes, but he continues to work himself into the elite tight-end conversation. He is one of those players who is a hybrid, somewhere between a true in-line tight end and an oversized (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) wide receiver.

2022 Outlook

Everything continues to point up for Gesicki, who continues to grow as an NFL player and now sees Miami add a head coach who turned George Kittle into a star. Will Mike McDaniel have the same impact on Gesicki’s career? It may all come down to Gesicki’s blocking ability, which was his weak point coming out of Penn State, but has improved during his first four seasons with Miami - though he has not been asked to do it a lot. When analysts talk about the top tight ends in the league, they usually do not include Gesicki, but when they talk about Gesicki, they will say he should be in that group. This year could be the year that distinction ends and he solidifies himself as a top tight end in the league.

Walk, Tag, or Re-sign?

The Dolphins head into the 2022 season with their top need probably on the offensive line. They need to get the running game established to take some of the pressure off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and have to decide if that is accomplished just by improving the line play or do they need to add a running back as well? At wide receiver, they have Jaylen Waddle heading into his second year along with veteran DeVante Parker. Keeping Gesicki solidifies the tight end position, without creating another hole on the offense and gives Miami a strong receiving corps that gives Tagovailoa targets all across the field. Bringing Gesicki back is the most sensible plan, assuming the two sides can come to an agreement. The franchise tag is definitely in play for Gesicki.

Kevin’s verdict: Franchise tag with plans for a long-term contract.