Patriots Best 'Bounce-Back' Candidate For 2023?
The New England Patriots had one of the weaker wide receiver groups in the NFL a season ago, and it's unlikely that swapping out Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor for JuJu Smith-Schuster will drastically change that.
So as quarterback Mac Jones looks to rebound from a disappointing second NFL season, he'll be left to lean on his tight ends quite a bit in 2023. Fortunately, the Patriots added tight end Mike Gesicki in free agency, and our sister site Eagles Today recently listed the former Miami Dolphin as a bounce-back candidate for this upcoming season:
"The Dolphins offense took off under new coach Mike McDaniel, but Gesicki didn't turn out to be a fit for the system. He latched on with the division-rival Patriots this offseason, signing a one-year, $4.5 million deal. While the Patriots also have Hunter Henry at tight end, offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien doesn't have a ton to work with at the wide receiver position. So Gesicki -- who had 700-plus receiving yards in both 2020 and 2021 -- should have plenty of opportunities to stand out as one of the better pass catchers at the tight end position."
A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2018, Gesicki has 231 catches for 2,617 yards and 18 touchdowns in parts of five seasons in Miami. As mentioned above, he seemed on the cusp of becoming one of the league's best pass-catching tight ends between 2020 and 2021, only to have a system change halt his progress in Miami.
Interestingly, Gesicki won't be the only former Dolphin that the Patriots are relying on to re-emerge as an above-average player under O'Brien. Wide receiver DeVante Parker had an underwhelming first season in New England, as he caught 31 passes for 539 yards in 13 games. While staying on the field has always been an issue for the former first-round pick, he looked the part of a No. 1 wide receiver in 2019 when he caught 72 passes for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns for Miami.
For the Patriots to have a realistic chance at winning what's a suddenly-crowded AFC East, players like Gesicki and Parker will have to outperform what's expected of them in 2023. And it would be quite the story if the two former Dolphins end up at the forefront of New England's passing attack this season.
Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here.
More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.
