Mike Gesicki will play the 2022 season under the franchise tag, as previously reported, after he and the Dolphins failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to Friday’s deadline. The veteran tight end was tagged by the Dolphins in early March, has already signed the tag, and is set to make $10.9 million in 2022.
There was initially some discrepancy, however, as to what kind of tag Gesicki would get. While he is recognized as a tight end, there is a case to be made for him to be considered a wide receiver, which would come with a substantial raise in terms of the tag (roughly an $8 million bump). Last season, he lined up in the slot on 412 of Miami’s offensive snaps (most among tight ends), out wide on 218 snaps and as an actual tight end on 140 snaps.
Under the CBA, franchise tags are determined by the position where the player participated in the most plays during the previous season. With those figures in mind, Gesicki’s camp could file a grievance to have him be classified as a wide receiver and collect the higher compensation under the franchise tag. However, he did tell reporters back at minicamp that he’s “not really a big controversy guy” and is more focused on helping the team win, so it remains to be seen if he actually goes down that route.
Of course, if/when Gesicki does reach free agency next offseason, it will be fascinating to see how his reps try to massage those receiving figures into a long-term deal.
