Tag: Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki or Hunter Henry: Which Patriots TE should fantasy owners target?

Which TE — if either — should gamers be drafting in 2023?

If you read our breakdown of the New England Patriots’ receivers last month, you know that the team finished 20th in passing offense (208.0 yards per game) and tied for 19th in passing touchdowns (19) as part of a unit that ranked 26th overall. While the Pats made some moves on the outside, their biggest change to the overall structure figures to come from the hiring of Bill O’Brien, who spent four years calling the plays in New England before embarking on his head coaching career.

Perhaps what’s most interesting from O’Brien’s tenure under head coach Bill Belichick is his heavy usage of two-tight end sets, most famously with the duo of TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who confounded defenses during three seasons together under O’Brien. While no one should expect the second coming of that pairing, the Patriots have two starting-caliber tight ends in Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki to challenge defenses.

First look at JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki in Patriots uniform

Patriots newcomers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki suit up in uniform for the first time

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Uniform looks are being unveiled for the 2023 New England Patriots roster, and now, we’re getting our first look at wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki in new threads.

Smith-Schuster will be rocking a No. 7 jersey, and Gesicki will be sporting No. 88. Both players were some of the bigger offseason moves made by the Patriots.

Smith-Schuster is coming off a Super Bowl-winning season with the Kansas City Chiefs, while Gesicki arrived from the division rival Miami Dolphins. Gesicki looks to become a focal point in the New England offense this season.

The expectation is that he will be used like a wide receiver with the Patriots looking to get back to making the tight end position a featured part of the offense.

These photos really hammer home the fact that the new season is almost upon us. It is sure to be a wild one with talent abound in the AFC East.

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Ranking every position group on Patriots’ roster, from strongest to weakest

Where do the Patriots’ positional groups rank, from strongest to weakest?

The New England Patriots did a tremendous job of filling positions on their roster in the offseason, but those moves won’t truly be put to the test until the players hit the field in helmets and pads at training camp.

Some positions are obviously stronger than others with the defense remaining the main point of confidence for the Patriots heading into the 2023 season.

The defense was so good that the Patriots would have made the playoffs last season if the offense would have been able to capitalize on a couple more plays. That could be the case again this time around with nearly every defensive player from a year ago returning.

So how does each positional group rank in comparison to one another? Today, we’re ranking them from strongest to weakest to find out.

Both Patriots tight ends receive mention in recent ESPN ranking

Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki both received a mention in recent tight end rankings

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The New England Patriots are on track to having a formidable tight end room in 2023. They are bringing back Hunter Henry, and they also added Mike Gesicki in free agency from the Miami Dolphins.

Henry is coming off a season that saw him dip below his usual production. He recorded 41 catches for 509 yards and two touchdowns. So it was a difficult season without him being a focal point of the offense.

Gesicki played better for the Miami Dolphins. He tallied 32 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns. He will reunite with Bill O’Brien, who recruited him at Penn State. He’ll be joining a New England offense that should feature tight ends at a higher rate this season.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spoke with personnel around the NFL and compiled a ranking of the best tight ends in the league. Henry was noted as an honorable mention, while Gesicki also received votes. Fowler wrote:

Henry led all Patriots tight ends in yards (509) and yards after catch (203). “Not much has changed with his game — he’s still a big, trusted target with good hands,” an AFC coordinator said. “He’s just been in a so-so offense the last two years.”

We have seen O’Brien work his magic with the tight end position in the past. If anything, that gives Patriots fans hope he will be able to do it again.

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Patriots’ 15 biggest cap hits in 2023

What Patriots players have the biggest cap hits in 2023?

Things may not be perfect, but the New England Patriots are in a much better place financially than they were in the 2022 season.

Last year, wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s contract came with the second-highest cap hit, while tight end Jonnu Smith’s deal was the fifth-highest hit. Those contracts served as a punch in the gut for a Patriots team that hardly utilized the two veteran players.

Whether the onus should fall on the team or the players themselves is irrelevant in regards to the fact that it was wasted money for the Patriots organization.

We’ll see if that ends up being the case for some of the players with big cap hits for the team this time around. Here are the 15 players with the biggest cap hits for the Patriots heading into the 2023 season (via Spotrac):

30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024

The Patriots might have to make some tough roster decisions in 2024

The New England Patriots will have some tough decisions to make after the season with 30 players slated to hit free agency.

Some of the names on the list include key playmakers on both sides of the ball, like tight end Hunter Henry, safety Kyle Dugger, offensive tackle Trent Brown, offensive guard Michael Onwenu and burgeoning pass-rusher Josh Uche.

The good news is the Patriots are expected to be one of the richest teams in the league salary cap-wise next year. So they will have plenty of money to play with in an effort to keep all of their key free agents. They’ve already started in that regard in recent contract extensions for wide receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Here are 30 Patriots players who will be pending free agents in 2024 (via Spotrac):

WATCH: Former Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki can’t stop griddying

He can’t be stopped.

Last season, tight end Mike Gesicki broke out his version of the griddy after scoring a touchdown to pull his Miami Dolphins within two scores of the Baltimore Ravens.

Gesicki’s dance moves were mocked by many, but he kept doing it throughout the season, including in a game against the Minnesota Vikings and the wild-card matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

Now a member of the New England Patriots, Gesicki’s griddying can’t be stopped, as he shared a video of the dance on a boat during his time off before training camp.

It’s going to hurt Dolphins fans a bit if he scores and does this against Miami in their two battles this season.

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Biggest winners and losers from Patriots’ OTAs and minicamp

Who stood out and who didn’t at the Patriots’ spring practices?

Not everybody came out of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp a winner for the New England Patriots.

That doesn’t mean they won’t bounce back in the summer and turn things around at training camp. It’s always important to avoid overreacting to spring practices, especially when players aren’t even working out in pads.

But then again, the teams wouldn’t be meeting if OTAs and minicamp weren’t considered important offseason work. There were clearly standouts for the Patriots on the field, and on the other end of the spectrum, there were also players that struggled.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Patriots’ spring practices:

10 biggest OTAs and minicamp standouts for Patriots

Who stood out the most for the Patriots during the spring practices?

The New England Patriots have finished up the last of their spring practices and will be taking the next few weeks off before returning in late July for training camp.

Even though the players weren’t in pads, things clearly got competitive on the practice field. Just ask Anfernee Jennings, Christian Barmore and Cole Strange, who were all involved in a brief dust-up during organized team activities.

We didn’t get a full course meal, but we were able to feast on enough appetizers to know this team is ready for training camp. The defense could be a real juggernaut in 2023, and the additional playmakers, particularly the rookies, could play a major role right out of the gates.

Meanwhile, the offense has shown real strides in the spring practices. This is no longer the predicted train wreck unit is was last year around this time.

Here are the 10 biggest standouts during the spring practices for the Patriots:

WATCH: Mac Jones heaves up dime throw to Patriots TE Mike Gesicki

The Mac Jones and Mike Gesicki connection is becoming a thing

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones might have another favorite receiving target on the field.

Here’s one hint: It’s a former AFC East rival.

Former Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki went from bitter rival to teammate in less than a year, and Jones is taking full advantage of his presence in an offense that lacked playmaking receivers downfield.

Make no mistake, Gesicki is a tight end in name only. When he steps in between the numbers, it’s clear that he’s a receiver trapped in a tight end’s body. That rare description coupled with a dual tight end philosophy that also includes Hunter Henry means the Patriots offense could be on the verge of becoming a real problem for opposing defenses.

Here’s the duo connecting on a touchdown at minicamp.

Keep in mind, that touchdown throw wasn’t just a one-off situation for Jones and Gesicki, either.

The pair have linked up on multiple passing plays throughout the spring practices. There’s hope that effort carries over into the regular season and fuels a resurgence for a Patriots offense still trying to wash away the stink from 2022.

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