Miami Dolphins Cap Space and Moves

[EDGECRUSHER]

https://www.thephinsider.com/2022/2/21/22944892/2022-miami-dolphins-salary-cap-space-and-potential-cap-casualties

Damn, we can cut a lot of these guys and this alone would pay for Ogbah. I may commit a war crime if we don't release Jesse Davis.

[Dolfanalyst]

If Gesicki is re-signed I'll be quite surprised.  McDaniel has already signed a fullback, and I suspect he'll want all of his tight ends to have the flexibility to block and catch.  Gesicki is essentially a slow and lumbering slot receiver who can't play inline and can't block.  I think we'll see him in a new uniform next year.

[EDGECRUSHER]

If Gesicki is re-signed I'll be quite surprised.  McDaniel has already signed a fullback, and I suspect he'll want all of his tight ends to have the flexibility to block and catch.  Gesicki is essentially a slow and lumbering slot receiver who can't play inline and can't block.  I think we'll see him in a new uniform next year.

The franchise tag for DE would be $20 Million so we can't use it on Ogbah. Do you think it's possible we use it on Gesicki instead? I hear what you're saying about him but as of now we have two people who can stay on the field and catch and that is Waddle and Gesicki. If we let him walk, we are down to 1 unless Hunter Long somehow proves his worth.

[CF DolFan]

If Gesicki is re-signed I'll be quite surprised.  McDaniel has already signed a fullback, and I suspect he'll want all of his tight ends to have the flexibility to block and catch.  Gesicki is essentially a slow and lumbering slot receiver who can't play inline and can't block.  I think we'll see him in a new uniform next year.

I've heard a few people say this and while I see that point ... McDaniel tells how he adapts to the talent rather than making talent fit his plan. He referenced their work with RG3 as an example. Being that Gesicki is a top talent in the pass game it wouldn't surprise me to see McDaniel work wiht that rather than send him packing.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I've heard a few people say this and while I see that point ... McDaniel tells how he adapts to the talent rather than making talent fit his plan. He referenced their work with RG3 as an example. Being that Gesicki is a top talent in the pass game it wouldn't surprise me to see McDaniel work wiht that rather than send him packing.

Some places have him around $11 Million a year for 3-5 years. So, the question is, can that money be better spent elsewhere on the team? The franchise tag for TE is around $11 Million as well, so if we aren't committed long term, we can't let him walk for nothing in 2022. We have to keep him and hope McDaniel gets more out of him.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Some places have him around $11 Million a year for 3-5 years. So, the question is, can that money be better spent elsewhere on the team? The franchise tag for TE is around $11 Million as well, so if we aren't committed long term, we can't let him walk for nothing in 2022. We have to keep him and hope McDaniel gets more out of him.

Gesicki is basically a receiving TE and can't be counted on to block.   He's not worth $11 million per year by any means.   There's a certain TE out there who is a free agent that Hoodie used to cheer for who could be had for a little more than half that.

[Tenshot13]

I can't see why we shouldn't try him out wide as WR2. 

[EDGECRUSHER]

Gesicki is basically a receiving TE and can't be counted on to block.   He's not worth $11 million per year by any means.   There's a certain TE out there who is a free agent that Hoodie used to cheer for who could be had for a little more than half that.

Then we are left with the dilemna of letting our #2 receiver leave for free. I know we have physical humans with heartbeats on the roster who claim to catch the ball, but we really don't outside of Waddle. Counting on Parker to stay healthy is like counting on a crackhead with the rent due. If he is really worth $9 Million, I'd overpay for an extra $2 Million. At the very least, have to franchise tag him. We can't afford to lose what little talent we have on offense.

[masterfins]

Gesicki is a playmaker, I don't give a crap whether he can block or not.  He catches first down passes and he catches TD passes, let the lineman to their jobs and block.  It would be a huge mistake to let him go, the Dolphins NEED more playmakers on offense, not less.

[CF DolFan]

Gesicki is a playmaker, I don't give a crap whether he can block or not.  He catches first down passes and he catches TD passes, let the lineman to their jobs and block.  It would be a huge mistake to let him go, the Dolphins NEED more playmakers on offense, not less.

This^^^^  It isn't he is a tight end that can catch. He catches balls others can't. Blocking aside he is a special player.

[Downunder Dolphan]

If Gesicki is re-signed I'll be quite surprised.  McDaniel has already signed a fullback, and I suspect he'll want all of his tight ends to have the flexibility to block and catch.  Gesicki is essentially a slow and lumbering slot receiver who can't play inline and can't block.  I think we'll see him in a new uniform next year.

Okay I'll bite. If Gesicki is so slow and lumbering, how the hell does he manage get so open as often as he does? When you add in his sticky hands (even in heavy traffic) I think you'll have 31 other teams ready to snap him up if we whiff on re-signing him.

Gesicki is a playmaker, I don't give a crap whether he can block or not.  He catches first down passes and he catches TD passes, let the lineman to their jobs and block.  It would be a huge mistake to let him go, the Dolphins NEED more playmakers on offense, not less.

I agree in full. Tua is a young QB who just had his first full season as a starter, so do you let one of his (two) most reliable targets walk to save a few bucks? The Patriots never flinched when Gronk's contract came up, it was an automatic signing to keep Brady happy. Our penny pinching ways just has to stop if this team is going to get anywhere!

[Dolfanalyst]

Okay I'll bite. If Gesicki is so slow and lumbering, how the hell does he manage get so open as often as he does? When you add in his sticky hands (even in heavy traffic) I think you'll have 31 other teams ready to snap him up if we whiff on re-signing him.

Gesicki was certainly better than the receivers behind him on the depth chart (at TE and WR) on the 2021 Dolphins.

The problem is that the 2021 Dolphins had poor receiving talent.  There were 92 players in the league in 2021 who had better pass-catching efficiency (yards per target) than Gesicki.  In 2020 there were 57 such players, in 2019 118 such players, and in 2018 112 such players.  Obviously it wouldn't be difficult to replace Gesicki with a player who better contributes to offensive pass efficiency.

The strongest predictor of winning in the NFL is offensive pass efficiency.  The Dolphins in 2021 were 20th in the league in that category, nowhere near what would be expected from one of the top teams in the league.

If Gesicki could block and function as a traditional tight end, he would offer additional value.  But he can't block, and so he functions merely as a wide receiver who consistently contributes to poor offensive pass efficiency.

If you want this team to continue to function as it has in recent years in the offensive passing game, you trot Mike Gesicki out there at slot receiver once again.  If you want to improve the team's passing efficiency and win, you get a better athlete at that position.

[Spider-Dan]

The franchise tag for TE is around $11 Million as well, so if we aren't committed long term, we can't let him walk for nothing in 2022.

Wouldn't he count as a WR for tag purposes?  I believe it's determined by the number of snaps off of the line.

[Dolfanalyst]

Wouldn't he count as a WR for tag purposes?  I believe it's determined by the number of snaps off of the line.

That would make him even less tenable as a player for the Dolphins, as the franchise tag for a WR is far greater than the one for a TE.

[fyo]

Wouldn't he count as a WR for tag purposes?  I believe it's determined by the number of snaps off of the line.

There's absolutely no chance of Gesicki counting as a TE for franchise tag purposes. The rule is quite clear:

"The Exclusive Franchise Tender shall be a one year NFL Player Contract for (A) the average
of the five largest Salaries in Player Contracts for that League Year as of the end of the Restricted
Free Agent Signing Period that League Year, as set forth in Article 9, Section 2(e), for players at
the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) at which he participated in the
most plays during the prior League Year, or (B) the amount of the Required Tender under
Subsection (a)(i) above, whichever is greater."

(emphasis mine)

Gesicki had 789 snaps for the 2021 season. 438 of those were at slot, 237 out wide.

He's a receiver.