Mike Gesicki could be traded by the Miami Dolphins, but there are reasons why they might not.
Mike Gesicki is one of the best tight ends in Miami Dolphins history but keeping good players in this era of the NFL isn't always simple. In addition, the wage cap will rise in 2022 after falling this year, and the Dolphins could end up with a lot of cap space.
Gesicki may be given a franchise tag. The franchise tag is essentially a one-year deal that gives players a guaranteed wage. The compensation is calculated by averaging the top five wages per position from the previous league year, or, if higher, 120 percent of a player's wage from the previous season.
Because the former second-round pick isn't qualified for the fifth-year option, the Dolphins are limited in their choices. They have three options: trade him before the deadline, extend or re-sign him before March, or tag him.
The Dolphins will have to decide whether Durham Smythe will be back in 2022, but their immediate attention must be on Gesicki.
If Spotrac.com's 2022 tag forecasts are accurate, a franchise tag could cost Miami little over $10 million. Miami would readily absorb that cost, and re-signing Gesicki would likely cost only slightly less than that on an annual cap scale.
It's unclear what Gesicki would provide to the Dolphins if he were moved, but Chris Grier likes draught capital, and no one seems to be completely safe.
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