Mike Gesicki Stole the Show to Open Camp
Credit: Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Bengals’ offseason has been about setting up one last season of Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Joe Burrow being all together. Perhaps lost in all this is an offseason signing that could end up being the most important: tight end Mike Gesicki. Training camp kicked off Wednesday in Cincinnati, and Gisecki stole the show.
According to many beat reporters at camp, including Jeremy Rauch of Fox19, Burrow was consistently looking for his new weapon, and Gesicki continued to show flashes all over the field.
Joe Burrow to Mike Gesicki… Gesicki with the one-handed grab 👀 pic.twitter.com/BO8qmEhdy4
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) July 25, 2024
Gesicki had a couple of solid years for the Miami Dolphins, but he has been forgotten a bit in the last few years. Last year with the New England Patriots, he caught 29 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. One issue that Gesicki has dealt with has been the inconsistent quarterback play throughout his career, something that has held back his production on the field.
When that high level of quarterback play is there, so is his production. Back in 2020, when he was with the Miami Dolphins, with Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, he caught 53 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns. After the 2021 season, the Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel as their head coach, who installed an offense that isn’t tight-end friendly. It’s not so much his game has dropped off the last few years, the opportunities just haven’t been there.
Burrow hasn’t had bad tight ends during his time with the Bengals, but it’s not a stretch to say this is the best one he has had, and it might be all that close. Gesicki’s frame alone makes him notable, not only is he 6-foot-6, but also has a 41-inch vertical leap.
The best news for the Bengals is how flexible Gesicki is. With Tyler Boyd now gone, he can perfectly step into the slot. It won’t be his primary position, but having players who can line up more than spot always opens up the offense even more.
“It gives you flexibility when you feel Iike you have an above-average pass catcher at tight end,” Bengals tight ends coach James Casey said. “You can put him in some receiving roles, too. You know Mike can do some of that stuff.
“Over the last five years, I’ve seen him run across the field and make explosive plays. Go across the field, like on a crossing route, and he’s got enough speed and size to be able to separate and make those catches. Obviously, he can also go down the seam and his red-zone stuff is impressive.”
One of the biggest position battles during training camp is expected to be the slot wide receiver. As they get closer to preseason, watching how much they line up Gesicki at that position will be intriguing. The Bengals’ offense is predicated on Higgins and Chase, but Burrow has always been one to spread around the ball to all of his weapons. With all the attention going on the wide receivers, Gesicki should be open a ton.
“Mike’s been great for us,” quarterback Joe Burrow said. “He’s got a big catch radius. He’s an explosive guy that I’m excited to work with. He’s been everything you can ask for on the field and off. So, he’s been a great addition for us.”
Gesicki is excited about the new opportunity but also hopes this can be his long-term home. Over the last two years, he has worked with two different coaching staffs and quarterbacks.
“New team, new staff, new quarterback. Everything is new for me,” Gesicki says. “So I have to go out there and earn the trust…. It’s more proving what I’m capable of doing and earning more and more opportunities once the football starts,” Gesicki says.
Gesicki’s contract with the Bengals is only for $2.5 million this season, and if the first preseason practice was any indication, it will be a steal. The Bengals believe this is the season that they can get past the Kansas City Chiefs and reach a Super Bowl victory. If Gesicki helps lead them to that, he’d have been worth it at $15 million.
The last thing the rest of the league needed was for the Bengals to get another weapon, and after the first training camp practice, they were put on notice. While trying to cover the talent outside, opposing defenses can’t forget about Gesicki, or there will be problems. At this point, Burrow has no excuses; he has all the weapons to finally get it done.
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