Gesicki Gets New Deal with Bengals

Former Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki clearly has found his home in Cincinnati

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) reacts after catching a first down pass in overtime against the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium last season. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Three years after unceremoniously leaving the Miami Dolphins, Mike Gesicki clearly has found himself a permanent home.

The Cincinnati Bengals are signing the veteran tight end to a three-year contract extension, according to multiple reports Saturday, giving him his first multi-year deal since he signed his rookie contract with the Dolphins after being the team's second-round pick in 2018.

After playing for the Dolphins on the franchise tag in 2022, Gesicki signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots in 2023 before joining the Bengals on another one-year deal last offseason.

While they work to try to lock up stars Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson to new contracts — though they now have given Hendrickson permission to seek a trade — the Bengals first took care of securing the services of Gesicki.

In his first season with the Bengals, Gesicki had 65 catches for 665 yards and two touchdowns while playing all 17 games with three starters. The 65 catches represented the second-highest total of his NFL career, behind only the 73 catches he had for the Dolphins in 2021.

It was a nice bounce-back season for Gesicki after he caught only 29 passes for the Patriots, which led to him having to settle for $2.5 million on his one-year deal with the Bengals last year.

Reports indicate his extension could be worth as much as $25.5 million over three years, or an annual average of $8.5 million.

Gesicki's lack of blocking ability led to his departure from Miami and he hasn't suddenly become an effective blocker, but the Bengals obviously like what he has brought to the passing game.

The. Dolphins will face Gesicki and the Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium in 2025, unless the matchup is selected for the Dolphins' home game in Spain.

ROUSSEAU'S NEW DEAL AND HOW IT RELATES TO PHILLIPS

Another big contract handed out Saturday went to Buffalo Bills pass rusher Gregory Rousseau, and it's difficult not to look at it in terms of what it could mean for Dolphins edge defender Jaelan Phillips.

Rousseau's new deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, is for four year for $80 million with $54 million guaranteed.

Rousseau was a first-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Miami, just like Phillips.

While Phillips was selected 18th overall and Rousseau went 30th, it's the latter who's has the more productive NFL career so far, with a close edge in sacks (25-23) but a large margin in his favor in tackles for loss (46-25).

A big difference between the two is that Rousseau has been relatively healthy, while Phillips has sustained two significant injuries the past two seasons — the torn Achilles tendon in late November in 2023 and the torn ACL in late September 2024.

The Dolphins have Phillips under contract for 2025 on his fifth-year option for a guaranteed $13.3 million, and they no doubt would like to bring down that cap number.

But it's not simple because of the two significant injuries that sidelined Phillips. It's only normal for the Dolphins to be hesitant to make a large financial commitment under those circumstances.

If they do sign him to a new long-term deal, it doesn't seem likely they would match what the Bills gave Rousseau — even if the argument could be made that Phillips is a better all-around player when healthy.