Bueller?
Bueller?
It appears that the Miami Dolphins have forgotten somebody en route to their 8-5 record this season.
The #Dolphins franchise tagged pass-catching TE Mike Gesicki in the offseason for $10.9 million but they don't actually use him on their offense.
Gesicki is one of the more athletic TEs in the league but has only been targeted 4 times the past three games, catching 0 passes. pic.twitter.com/REzKhHZwHv
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 13, 2022
Why have the Dolphins not been using Gesicki in their offense?
He is 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds.
Yet, the Dolphins have targeted him just 39 times, making Gesicki the 27th-most targeted tight end in the entire NFL.
It’s not like Gesicki is an unproven player on a rookie contract, either.
He is being paid over ten million dollars by the Dolphins this season and has been grossly underutilized.
Gesicki’s target share is especially surprising, given that he was the second-highest target-getter on the Dolphins during 2021, garnering 111 throughout the season.
What Has Led To This Sharp Decline For Gesicki?
One answer could be Tyreek Hill.
After being traded from the Kansas City Chiefs, Hill has made an instant impact on the Dolphins roster.
In the nine games that he’s played this season, Hill has been targeted 139 times, resulting in 100 receptions, 1,460 yards, and six touchdowns.
The emergence of Hill in this offense has seemingly been the main downfall of Gesicki.
The Dolphins have been firing on all cylinders this season, but don’t seem to need, or want Gesicki to be a part of it.
This begs the question: Will the Dolphins let Gesicki walk in the offseason?
As a 27-year-old, Gesicki will have a fair share of options in the offseason, should he attempt to explore them.
With the tight-end landscape being desolate after Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, George Kittle, and T.J. Hockenson, Gesicki deserves to be a bigger part of an NFL offense than he currently is in Miami.
