Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki had a solid 2021 NFL season.
In his fourth year as a pro, the Penn State alum finished with 73 receptions for 780 yards and two touchdowns.
Unfortunately, the Dolphins barely missed the playoffs yet again.
It should be a no-brainer for the Dolphins to give Gesicki a bigger contract to extend his stay in Miami.
However, both sides haven’t agreed to terms and the team assigned him with the franchise tag.
Dolphins have placed the franchise tag on TE Mike Gesicki, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2022
ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter tweeted, “Dolphins have placed the franchise tag on TE Mike Gesicki, per league source.”
The tag will earn him a fully-guaranteed deal worth $11 million, which is almost double the $6.6 million he earned throughout his first four seasons.
Besides, the Dolphins should not have any problems absorbing that amount given their huge cap space.
Likewise, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will continue to benefit from having him because he is a big target, especially during third-down situations.
How Much Should Miami Pay Gesicki Long-Term?
There’s a possibility that the Dolphins assigned the franchise tag to Gesicki to buy time for contract negotiations.
With the tag in place, they have until July to have him sign on the dotted line for an extension.
However, Miami will structure a deal with due diligence based on what the market dictates for the position.
The $11 million for tight ends under the tag is based on the average of the top five cap hits for the position last season.
But Gesicki had better numbers than the Cleveland Browns’ Austin Hooper in 2021.
Hooper has an average annual value of $10.5 million which is a fair amount to start the contract talks.
However, Miami would be overpaying Gesicki if they agree to an amount closer to the $15 million AAV of the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle.
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