In March, tight end Mike Gesicki signed a one-year deal with the Bengals after spending the previous season with the Patriots. Cincinnati had a significant vacancy at the position as they did not truly replace former tight end Hayden Hurst after he joined the Panthers as a free agent last year. Despite playing in all 34 regular-season games over the past two years, Gesicki’s numbers have been on a decline, first with Miami and then with New England. However, with his big catch radius and explosive playstyle, Gesicki could see his production rise in 2024 with the Bengals.
In his Tuesday press conference, quarterback Joe Burrow spoke highly of Gesicki, saying that he has been great for their team and is excited to work with him. Burrow also mentioned that they have Tanner Hudson, Drew Sample, Erick All, and Tanner McLachlan on their roster at tight end but will rely on Hudson and Sample as options for the position. According to Burrow, he has a lot of reps invested in Drew and Tanner, but this is really the first full offseason with Mike coming in. He plans to continue building dialogue with those guys so they can earn his trust and hopefully translate to on-field success.
Last season, Gesicki caught 29 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns for New England. In comparison, he caught just 32 passes for 362 yards with five touchdowns in 17 games for Miami in 2022. Despite his decline in production over the past two seasons, Gesicki’s big catch radius and explosive playstyle make him a valuable addition to the Bengals’ roster.