Gesicki addresses future. And Flores offers insight into two key young players
The Dolphins gave contract extensions to two members of their 2018 draft class before the season when they gave four-year deals to Jerome Baker and Jason Sanders.
But the Dolphins never did the same with tight end Mike Gesicki, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. So would the Dolphins like to keep him?
Flores declined to say on Wednesday.
“Those are conversations more for next week,” Flores said, adding that all of his focus — with his team and during media interviews — will be on the Patriots, who visit the Dolphins on Sunday (4:25 p.m., CBS).
The Dolphins never approached Gesicki’s camp about an extension before the end of last July, and Miami didn’t have the cap space to do an extension with anyone once the season started.
Gesicki enters Week 18 third among NFL tight ends in receptions with 71 (behind only Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce) and sixth in yardage with 758, behind Andrews, Kelce, Kyle Pitts, George Kittle and Dallas Goedert.
Gesicki’s 197 catches and 2,233 yards in his career are third-most among tight ends in franchise history in both categories, behind Randy McMichael (283, 3,096) and Bruce Hardy (256, 2,455).
The Dolphins have three realistic options: give Gesicki a multiyear contract, give him the franchise tag for $10.3 million or opt not to re-sign him.
Asked if his preferred scenario is to sign a multiyear deal with the Dolphins next spring, Gesicki said Wednesday: “I haven’t thought about it. It doesn’t matter how much I think about it or don’t think about it. It’s not up to me.”
Gesicki made clear he appreciates “this organization, happy where I’m at. I like the guys in the locker room, the coaches. I’ve enjoyed every single aspect of being in this organization.”
Were his feelings hurt that the Dolphins extended Baker and Sanders but not him?
No, he said. “I was happy for those guys.”
Gesicki - who mentioned Wednesday that Dolphins fans wanted to get rid of him during his rookie season - said “things I’ve gotten better at are being able to get off press coverage, be physical in route running, being able to fight through... man to man coverage...
”When you can win versus man coverage, whether it’s a corner or safety- I don’t really see linebackers - and you can win in those situations, those are crucial downs. That’s where I excel on third down.”
Durham Smythe, the co-starter at tight end, also will be an unrestricted free agent. Adam Shaheen and Hunter Long are both under contract next season.
Flores addressed other issues in his Wednesday Zoom session with reporters:
▪ Robert Hunt has played well at right guard this season. Was the team ever on the verge of moving him back to right tackle, where he played the final two months of the 2020 season?
“He’s found a home at right guard,” Flores said. “Didn’t want to change that. He’s done some good things. He’s a young player who’s getting better every time he gets out there. Getting more comfortable with communication. Tough and physical.”
▪ Does Flores have a feel for what position is best for Liam Eichenberg, who has played left tackle since early October?
“Too early to say he’s this or that, or give you a definitive answer,” Flores said. “Liam is a good young player, a good young prospect. He does everything from a preparation and work ethic standpoint, gives himself an opportunity to get the most out of his ability.”
Flores said he’s “pretty confident he will be a dependable, reliable player for us. Where that is is yet to be determined. I’m pleased with a lot of the things he’s done there. Obviously room for growth and improvement, as with any young player.”
Eichenberg, a left tackle at Notre Dame, also has logged time at guard and right tackle going back to the offseason program and training camp.
▪ On defensive end/impending free agent Emmanuel Ogbah, who has nine sacks for the second season in a row: “One of his best attributes is his leadership, how he supports his teammates. His play on the field has been very good as well. His batted passes, pressures, he’s played well across the board. We need another good performance from him this week against a good opponent.”
▪ Flores said everybody on the 53-man roster is healthy and available to play. He said running back Malcolm Brown won’t be brought back from IR.
▪ How important has Xavien Howard been to the Dolphins’ defense?
“Very important,” Flores said. “X has played very well this year. Often times, we will say, ‘X, you cover that guy’ and it allows us to do a lot of different things offensively with his ability to cover guys one on one.”
▪ Several Patriots reporters were on the Zoom call Wednesday. Asked about Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones, Flores said: “He’s done a very nice job. Good command of the offense, poise, good decision making. It’s complementary to the skills set of each individual player.”..
Flores praised Bill Belichick’s “consistency” among his many outstanding attributes as a coach.
THIS AND THAT
▪ There remains some element of mystery around the absence of receiver Will Fuller, who played only 65 offensive snaps this season and won’t play Sunday.
Flores said a setback with his finger injury forced him to remain on injured reserve and miss the season but has declined to say whether there were other reasons for him not returning to the team.
Receivers coach Josh Grizzard on Tuesday refused to say if he has seen Fuller in the past month.
“He was good to be around,” Grizzard said of the times he did see Fuller. “Unfortunate what happened with the finger and all that, but just a guy that just is upbeat, good to be around, works hard. Just one of the guys, like hanging out with him, talking about different things, whether it’s on the field or off the field. … Wish him the best for him and continue to support him.”
Fuller was paid $10.3 million this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in March. He finished his only Dolphins season with four catches and 26 yards.
▪ Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman was blunt when asked if his unit met his expectations this season.
“Obviously not,” he said. “We’ve never met my standards. This year, even more so this year.”
In what areas were expectations not met?
“The list is long,” he said. “We need to be better in everything. We need to coach better, execute better. When we have opportunities, we need to take advantage of those opportunities. A lot to work on.”
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 10:48 AM.
