Mile High Report
The tight end position is one the Broncos must upgrade this offseason. Is Gesicki a possible target for Denver?
The Denver Broncos are in desperate need of an upgrade at tight end.
It remains to be seen whether Sean Payton, George Paton, and the Broncos decide to do so via NFL free agency or the NFL Draft. But we know the position will look different in 2025.
In terms of free agents, Mike Gesicki is a possible target for Denver.
Age: 29 | Experience: Seventh | Height: 6’6” | Weight: 250 pounds
All one has to do to see the impact Gesicki has on an offense is watch what he did to the Broncos in the penultimate game of the season. In Denver’s 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 28, Gesicki finished with 10 receptions for 86 yards.
Gesicki could be a welcome addition to Bo Nix and the Broncos offense. It’ll just depend on the price or whether Denver decides to target the position in the Draft.
Gesicki’s stats don’t jump off the page. Heck, in 2024, his numbers with the Bengals don’t scream difference maker. Gesicki has a potential joker in him, which is what Payton wants to add to his offense this offseason. He finished last season with 65 receptions for 665 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first season in Cincinnati and likely his last, given the salary cap issues the Bengals have.
Cincinnati's priorities this offseason will be Keeping Tee Higgins and locking up Ja’Marr Chase. Gesicki will likely hit free agency. However, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has made it clear he wants Gesicki back.
“That guy was so valuable for us all year, and a guy that, in my opinion, we need to bring back,” Burrow said on Jan. 4 after the final game of the season.
What you get with Gesicki is a tight end with great size, good hands, deceptive athleticism and speed, and a reliable receiving threat. As noted earlier, just remember the game against the Broncos. For all intents and purposes, Gesicki was basically the No. 3 receiver for Cincinnati behind Chase and Higgins.
Those attributes could make Gesicki retractable to Denver, especially his size and athleticism. He’s a matchup nightmare as a tight end. When you add his athletic ability to the equation, you get a Jimmy Graham light. Payton could have fun with Gesicki in his offense. Remember, Gesicki ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash.
The best season of Gesicki’s career came with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 when he finished with 73 catches for 780 yards and two touchdowns. Gesicki had a career-best six TDs in 2020 and has had five TDs twice (in 2019 and 2022).
As always with free agents, it comes down to cost and fit.
In terms of salary cap price, Gesicki doesn’t seem that expensive. According to...
