Bengals get all they bargained for in tight end Mike Gesicki

The former Patriots afterthought is making his mark in Cincinnati.

Three years ago, Mike Gesicki was one of the top three tight ends in the NFL, behind only Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews.

Two short years later, Gesicki found himself languishing on a New England Patriots depth chart behind Hunter Henry.

Fast-forward to 2024. Henry is still plying his trade in New England. Gesicki, on the other hand, has found new life in Cincinnati. And what a life it is.

In Saturday night’s victory over the Denver Broncos, Gesicki did what only two Cincinnati Bengals tight ends had done before when he accounted for 10 receptions against Denver’s top-10 defense.

“I was just out there trying to make a play,” the soft-spoken Gesicki said after the game.

And he has been making plenty of those. So far this season, Gesicki has caught 57 passes (the fourth-most in a season by a Bengals’ tight end and the most since Jermaine Gresham had 62 in 2014) for 597 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He already has more catches than Tyler Eifert had in his 2015 Pro Bowl year (52) and is 16 yards short of Eifert’s yardage total.

Gesicki currently has his sights set on the fourth 60-catch season by a Bengals tight end.

“I’m just really grateful for the opportunity,” Gesicki said earlier this season. “There’s been some times in my career before here when the opportunities have not been there. I felt like the player’s still there, so I’m just grateful for this coaching staff. I’m grateful for Joe, I’m grateful for all of my teammates.”

The former Penn State standout has been everything the Bengals hoped for when they signed him in free agency and is a big part of what has made Cincinnati’s offense one of the most productive in the NFL.

Hopefully, Gesicki will have the opportunity to continue what he has started. He will be a free agent again at the end of this season, and the Bengals would love to find a way to bring him back.

The feeling is mutual.

“If that would be the narrative, sure,” Gesicki told Geoff Hobson recently. “For me, I’ve been the same player putting in the same work, putting in the same time. I just haven’t had the ball come my way the last couple of years. I’ve been targeted a little more and I don’t take it for granted. I wish we could have changed the end of some games, but I come in every day with a smile on my face. For the opportunities that are presented, it’s really enjoyable.”

While Cincinnati has a wealth of young talent coming up at the tight end position with prospects like Erick All, Tanner McLachlan, and Cam Grandy, there is no substitute for experience – and no substitute for the kind of options someone like the 6-4, 245-pound Gesicki gives his quarterback.

“You don’t see a lot of guys with this body type playing tight end in the NFL,” tight ends coach James Casey said. “He’s unique because of the way he’s built. He’s long. His stride is so long. He has such a long reach … Rangy … He’s just hard to cover. He’s hard to stay with for any safety or linebacker. He doesn’t run traditional textbook NFL routes.

“The most impressive thing about Mike is how smart he is. Elite smarts. A vet who has made a lot of plays. [And h]e runs great routes.”

With it looking more and more likely that the Bengals will figure out a way to sign both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it would be nice to give quarterback Joe Burrow that extra level of comfort that Gesicki provides. For now, all we can do is wait and see.