Mike Gesicki Has Earned A Future In Cincinnati
Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals have not typically placed a major emphasis on the tight end position. Like most NFL offenses, Cincinnati has invested heavily in the wide receiver position, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins being the focal points of Joe Burrow‘s offense. Bengals fans have seen a string of tight ends, like C.J. Uzomah and Hayden Hurst, become critical parts of the Bengals’ offense, then ultimately leave for greener pastures once their contracts expired.
But even with the Bengals’ recent track record of letting tight ends bolt for other organizations, Mike Gesicki is out there, earning a future in Cincinnati.
Joe Burrow says he “would love to have Mike (Gesicki) back” next season.
The veteran tight end has handled his role very well according to Burrow. pic.twitter.com/juZhNu6IAN
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) December 5, 2024
Among Bengals tight ends, Gesicki has the third-most receiving yards in a season this century, and he needs a mere 19 yards in Week 18 to pass Tyler Eifert’s Pro Bowl season in 2015 for second. Gesicki has just two touchdowns this season, but he doesn’t need to be a red zone threat to be effective. He just needs to be a player who can be a bigger-than-DBs-and-faster-than-LBs mismatch weapon that keeps the ball moving down the field. It’s a role in a similar vein to Arizona’s Trey McBride, who had 97 receptions and 1,014 receiving yards before he finally caught his first touchdown of the year on Saturday.
Mike Gesicki is the first Bengals tight with 100 receiving yards and 2 receiving TD in a game since Tyler Eifert in 2015. That game was also against the Raiders
(via ESPN Research)
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) November 3, 2024
“Gesicki is a guy we’ve been able to lean on,” Zac Taylor said after Week 9’s win against Las Vegas. “I know there was a lull there in the season where he didn’t get a lot of targets, but that’s just the way this offense goes sometimes. Joe [Burrow] does a great job dispersing it to wherever the concept is calling for and what the defense gives you, and Mike has done an excellent job capitalizing on his opportunities.”
In games where Higgins has been absent (Week 9, for example), Gesicki has been exactly the kind of player that Burrow can lean on.
No Tee Higgins = another Mike Gesicki week. pic.twitter.com/7O7PMz3Z0d
— Aaron Schill (@aaron_schill) November 6, 2024
In the five games where Gesicki has been thrown into what is the de facto WR2 role, the tight end has 26 catches for 312 yards and both of his touchdowns.
“Mike is going to continue to make plays, and he just continues to get open in zone,” Burrow said after the Week 9 win. “He wins versus man. He makes big-time catches. He makes contested catches, and he continues to show why I have so much trust in him. He continues to make plays for us. So, his role is going to continue to increase.”
In particular, the words “I have so much trust in him” are eye-popping, especially from a guy like Burrow, who takes his craft as seriously as just about any quarterback in the NFL. He has demonstrated that trust as the season has progressed, particularly in the emotional rollercoaster that was Week 17’s overtime win against Denver. Gesicki had a season-high 12 targets and hauled in 10 catches, accumulating 86 yards. Those stats show that even amidst big afternoons from Chase and Higgins, both of whom topped the century mark in receiving yards, Gesicki can make his mark in a do-or-die match. Games like that demonstrate why has more than earned that role in the future with the Bengals.
“Mike was great today,” Burrow said after the Bengals’ Week 17 win. “He made contested plays in big spots. That was probably the biggest one to start that drive off on a good note. Just watching the tape all week, I knew it was going to be a big Mike game, and he stepped up big for us.”
Even upon the return of Erick All Jr. in 2025, Gesicki has a massive opportunity to continue his strong level of play, especially with the potential departure of Higgins. But for now, he’s taking it day by day and embracing his job in Cincinnati, even in a lineup where he has to sometimes take a backseat to Cincinnati’s other tight ends.
“In our room, everybody kind of understands their role and their responsibility and their job,” Gesicki said to Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson. “There’s been some run-heavy games where Drew and Erick are getting a lot of the snaps. And there are games where we’re pass-heavy. Everybody (is) understanding their role. Obviously, you always want to be out there and making plays, but you also understand that they’re better than me at some things. Everybody has their role, and you should understand it and go out and execute your job.”
Gesicki has done that perfectly, and the Bengals’ front office must recognize his importance and bring him back into the fold for next year.
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