Mike Gesicki‘s name came up in trade rumors last week, with those coming months after the Dolphins used their franchise tag to keep him off the market. GM Chris Grier did not rule out a move Tuesday, but the team is not planning one.
Grier said the Dolphins are not shopping their tagged tight end, via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe, but added that two teams called about his availability (Twitter link). Gesicki’s tag fully guarantees him $10.9MM, though it does not mandate that salary come from the Dolphins.
Tag-and-trade sequences happen fairly frequently, and they have been known to come late in the summer. Jadeveon Clowney was moved just before the 2019 deadline, and Yannick Ngakoue was traded twice during his 2020 tagged year — before the season and during it. Gesicki may not await the same fate, but this year has been an adjustment for the fifth-year pass catcher.
Mike McDaniel’s heavily Shanahan-influenced scheme will require more Gesicki blocking than he is accustomed to, and the Penn State product called his role in this offense a new position. Since tagging Gesicki, the Dolphins also loaded up at receiver by trading for Tyreek Hill and signing Cedrick Wilson Jr. That duo, along with Jaylen Waddle, is expected to be ahead of Gesicki in Miami’s aerial pecking order. That will mark a change, after Gesicki put together back-to-back 700-plus-yard seasons. He finished as the Dolphins’ second-leading pass catcher, behind Waddle, in 2021.
Keeping Gesicki to aid Tua Tagovailoa in what might be a make-or-break year, considering the other Dolphins QB-related headlines to emerge in recent months, would seem wise for Miami. But Grier has also not been shy to make deals if the right offer surfaces. In his first year in power, Grier dealt away Ryan Tannehill, Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Fitzpatrick swap also came about because of a positional issue. This year’s trade deadline is Nov. 1.
I’m here for the Gesucki posts