The only remaining signs of Miami’s summer dust up with the COVID-19 virus have come and gone. The Dolphins saw co-offensive coordinator George Godsey return to the facility on Monday for press availabilities ahead of the team’s trip to Chicago and now we know that the team’s top tight end is also back in the fray. The Dolphins announced this morning that Mike Gesicki has been activated off of the reserve/COVID-19 list after spending the past week out of commission.
Roster Move | We have activated tight end Mike Gesicki off the reserve/COVID-19 list.
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 10, 2021
It isn’t likely that we’ll get the full details of Gesicki’s absence, but he was the player most impacted by the COVID-19 protocols; as Cethan Carter and Adam Shaheen were placed on the list as close contacts of Godsey last week but made quicker returns to the field than Gesicki was able to.
That is all water under the bridge at this point, however. And with Miami set to travel to Chicago with joint practices tomorrow and Thursday ahead of Saturday’s preseason contest, it appears as though the Dolphins will have no COVID-19 restrictions entering into tomorrow’s practice. That is, of course, subject to change. But Miami appears to be in the clear from this first incident of the season.
The status of TE Hunter Long, who was injured over the weekend, is still very much up in the air but given the need of the cart to aid Long off the field, it would be a major upset to see him in action against the Bears. But with Gesicki now back alongside Carter, Shaheen and Durham Smythe, Miami will have plenty of tight end targets to keep the Bears defense occupied this week.