The Miami Dolphins don’t have too many big-name free agents this year, at least in my opinion. Every year there are always players whose contracts are set to expire, and the questions come will the team be able to re-sign him or let him leave? The biggest free agents the Dolphins have are defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and tight end Mike Gesicki. Â
There are questions about Gesicki because some wonder whether he can fit into new coach Mike McDaniel’s offense, which requires his tight ends to block at a high level. McDaniel has also said that he will design an offense to his player’s strengths without compromising his offensive philosophy. When the Dolphins drafted Gesicki in 2018, they knew he was more of a pass-catching tight end and not a good blocker. The hope was that he could develop into a better blocker, but that hasn’t been the case. The Dolphins mostly line him up as an outside receiver or in the slot and not in the traditional tight end position. With Gesicki’s contract up, the question is, does McDaniel want to invest over $10 million in him knowing he has limitations, or does he keep a valuable weapon in the passing game?Â
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The Dolphins have the most salary cap space of any team in the league this off-season with over $60 million and probably more, depending on who you hear from. The Dolphins, like every team, will clear more cap space by unloading some bloated contracts and players who are underperforming, so money isn’t going to be an issue. The problem is that the Dolphins have significant needs on the offensive line and the wide receiver position, so they don’t want to break the bank on Gesicki, especially if they re-sign Ogbah. Having money left over to upgrade other positions is essential.Â
The reality is Gesicki isn’t a tight end and is more of an oversized wide receiver. The Dolphins can slap the franchise tag on Gesicki for just over $10 million for one year. The Dolphins could place the transition tag on him, and the Dolphins have the right to match any offer given to Gesicki. Still, his agent might make the case that Gesicki is used more as a receiver to the point that he could go to arbitration to have his position at wide receiver, and if that happens, the tag rises to $19 million which would be too rich for the Dolphins. Now that litigation is highly unlikely because there really is no president. Jimmy Graham tried to do that years ago, and he got denied.Â
One thing going against Gesicki is the Dolphins drafted a tight end in the 3rd round last year in Hunter Long, and he is considered an excellent all-around player. Yes, Long didn’t see the field as much this past year, but the Dolphins had some depth at the tight end spot with Gesicki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen, and Cethan Carter who was used primarily for special teams. Smythe is also a free agent, and he is a much better blocker than Gesicki and probably won’t cost as much. Money does matter when it comes to making decisions like these. There are also some other tight ends in the free agent market that might not cost as much, like Daulton Schultz and OJ Howard. I like Howard and think he has been under-utilized with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He can catch the ball and make big plays but can also be used as an in-line blocker.Â
The problem for the Dolphins is if you let Gesicki walk, you are taking away a passing weapon from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins need all the weapons on offense to help Tagovailoa succeed. It would diminish your skills position even more. Let’s be honest the only sure skills player the Dolphins have is Jaylen Waddle. There’s also DeVante Parker, but he’s always got injury issues.Â
I think this comes down to how McDaniel views Gesicki in this offense and if he thinks it’s worth keeping him. If he believes it’s worth it, then general manager Chris Grier will make it work to keep Gesicki. I think the Dolphins will let him walk and see what happens in free agency. I believe this because McDaniel is coming into a situation where the cupboard is bare on offense, and he will reshape this offense the way he sees it. It’s all speculation on my part, and I’ve seen players every year that I feel the Dolphins won’t re-sign, and they find a way to re-sign the player. In this case, it’s a real toss-up as to whether Gesicki stays or goes.Â
Phins will find a way to keep Gesicki. It may even be the “tag”. However, with $60M in total to use, even more important is getting up to three offensive lineman, specifically two tackles, LT and RT, and a center. That may take up $40M right there.
This needs to happen because Phins don’t draft linemen well. Time to sign these positions as free agents, all with experience. They can develop either Kindley, Dieter, Jackson or Eichenberg at the LG spot, winner take the job, the others become back ups and keep Hunt at RG. The offensive line is the priority. Would love for Gesicki to stay, but unless this line is fixed once and for all, it won’t matter. Keeping Ogbah is a priority for sure. If only one between Ogbah and Gesicki, it has to be Ogbah. Smythe and Hunger Long, Shaheen are all capable at TE if it has to be. Use the draft to find an MLB thumper to pair with Baker and Van Ginkel, a true RB (Kenneth Walker / B. Hall, Spiller) and one more WR. Considering where the Phins draft this year, if they got 3 decent picks it would be great. Grier did it last year, can he repeat ? Sure blew it in 2020. IghboNobody and Jackson are not NFL material, let alone 1st rounders !!!