Should the Dolphins move off Mike Gesicki?

In no surprise to anyone, Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki’s future will be up in limbo this offseason.

After being drafted in 2018, Gesicki had a breakout year in 2020, posting 53 catches for 703 yards, and six touchdowns. He followed this up with an even better season in 2021, recording 73 catches for 780 yards, and two touchdowns. However, Gesicki’s production took a massive hit this season, as he managed just 32 catches for 362 yards, and five touchdowns all season. While immensely talented, Gesicki’s skillset simply isn’t a good fit for head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense, as his poor blocking skills and inability to create separation hold him back severely. As a result, he may not be wearing aqua-and-white next season.

In fact, having placed the franchise tag on him this past offseason, should the Dolphins move off Gesicki, they’d save roughly $10 million in cap space. For a team entering 2023 roughly $15,000,000 over the projected cap (per Spotrac), moving off the former Penn State product makes a lot of sense.

In terms of replacements, Josh Oliver of the Baltimore Ravens and Hayden Hurst of the Cincinnati Bengals immediately jump to mind. Both will be free agents this offseason, and would be a good fit for the type of tight end the Dolphins are looking for. Big, strong, and have no qualms about getting their noses dirty in the trenches. Oliver ranked 2nd in Pro Football Focus’ run-blocking rankings among tight ends, and although Hurst ranked 32nd, his ability as a pass catcher (52 catches for 414 yards in 2022) is a massive plus. Other notable free agents include Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz and Robert Tonyan Jr. of the Green Bay Packers, both of whom are coming off solid seasons. The Dolphins also may choose to promote their talent in-house, with Durham Smythe and Hunter Long both eager to lock down a starting spot.

Regardless, whatever direction the team decides to go in, it’s looking likely that Mike Gesicki won’t be apart of those plans.

Do you think the Dolphins should move off Mike Gesicki? Let us know in the comments below, or on Twitter @ThePhinsider! This article was written by Staff Writer, Sumeet Jena. You can find Sumeet on Twitter at @flameosumeet.