Why rival NFL coach is bullish on Mike Gesicki's impact in Patriots offense
Why rival NFL coach is bullish on Gesicki's impact in Patriots offense originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Mike Gesicki is technically a tight end, but he has plenty of wide receiver traits.
He runs routes well, his pass catching skills are fantastic, and he has pretty good athleticism for a guy with impressive size at 6-foot-6 and 246 pounds.
The New England Patriots didn't get enough offensive production from tight ends last season, and it was a major reason why their passing offense took a step (or two) back compared to 2021.
Hunter Henry's receptions and yards both declined in 2022 compared to 2021. His touchdowns decreased from nine to two over the same span. Jonnu Smith, who was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in March, caught just 27 passes for 245 yards with zero touchdowns in 14 games last season.
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The Patriots are hoping the offseason addition of Gesicki will give starting quarterback Mac Jones another reliable pass-catcher, especially in the red zone -- where the team struggled to finish drives with touchdowns throughout 2022.
Our NBC Sports Boston Patriots insider Phil Perry recently spoke with a defensive coach on a rival team, and this person is pretty bullish on the impact Gesicki can make in New England's offense.
"I got off the phone with a rival defensive assistant (Wednesday)," Perry said Thursday night on "Boston Sports Tonight". "He told me that he thinks that Gesicki’s gonna catch the ball a ‘bleep-ton’. And part of it is he believes in Gesicki’s skill set. Now, he’s not a true tight end. He’s at the bottom of the league in terms of blocking at that position. But he’s still a freaky athlete. He can function in the red zone, he can be a vertical threat down the middle of the field.
"And this coach thought that was important for both Mac Jones and Bill O’Brien. When O'Brien was here last, he showed he could dominate the middle of the field. They had better personnel back then, but with Mac Jones, his strength is in the middle of the field as well. So, if he can get a vertical threat down the middle of the field, which Gesicki is, I think he could end up being the one pass-catcher in their offense that defenses actually have to gameplan for. To me, he might be the only guy who fits that category."
Gesicki tallied 32 receptions for 362 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games for the Miami Dolphins last season. In 2021, he posted 73 catches for 780 yards and two scores.
In addition to Gesicki, the Patriots also signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to bolster the receiving options around Jones. Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and Henry remain on the roster, too. All of these pass-catchers, plus the arrival of veteran offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, should result in the Patriots passing attack being much more formidable in 2023.
