Dolphins Rumors: Mike Gesicki Not Shopped in Trades, Miami 'Willing to Listen' on TE
October 18, 2022
The Miami Dolphins are "willing to listen" to trade offers for tight end Mike Gesicki, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
A deal may not materialize before the Nov. 1 deadline, though. Fowler reported Miami "isn't quite shopping his services to other teams," and his $10.9 million salary is turning some prospective suitors away.
Offering Gesicki a one-year franchise tender made sense at the time. He was coming off a 2021 season in which he set career highs in receptions (73) and receiving yards (780). The Dolphins bought themselves more time to gauge whether a long-term extension made sense.
But it didn't take long for questions to arise regarding Gesicki's suitability in head coach Mike McDaniels' offense.
Pro Football Focus' Doug Kyed reported in August the Dolphns had "brought up" the 6'6" pass-catcher in informal discussions with other teams. General manager Chris Grier disputed the characterization and said the team didn't initiate those conversations.
Gesicki's usage has done little to quell the general discussions over his role.
Through six games, he has caught 15 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns. In three of those appearances, he was on the field for fewer than 50 percent of Miami's offensive snaps, something that happened just once in 2021.
The 27-year-old may have made a breakthrough in Sunday's 24-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings as he hauled in six catches for 69 yards and two scores.
Still, the Dolphins may better off using Gesicki to help strengthen other areas of the field prior to the deadline.
The obvious hurdle there is getting another team to bite.
Gesicki isn't the kind of player who will help a playoff contender get over the top, and his salary doesn't match what he's giving you on the field.
For any GMs who have the 2018 second-round pick on their radar, waiting until the offseason and signing him as a free agent might be the best course of action.