Does Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki have a right to file grievance over his franchise tag?
The Miami Dolphins have seen continued improvement from tight end Mike Gesicki since he joined the team in 2018. Last season, the former second-round draft pick had career-highs in receptions and yards, with 73 and 780, respectively.
So it makes sense why the team slapped the franchise tag on him before Tuesday's deadline. The tag is worth roughly $11 million and gives Gesicki a fully guaranteed, one-year deal at that amount. However, the goal here would seem to be to use this as a placeholder while a long-term deal is discussed.
Yet there is something unique about this tag in particular. That would be how the tight end was used on offense in 2021. ESPN's Field Yates broke it down further.
Mike Gesicki snaps by alignment in 2021:
Backfield: 24
Slot: 402
Wide: 218
Tight: 140
Yes, Gesicki is listed as a tight end. But he lined up as a receiver on a vast majority of his snaps. So should he file a grievance to be tagged as a receiver and earn up to around $19 million on this one-year deal?
Dolphins and Mike Gesicki should be focused on one common goal
The goal of the franchise tag is to lock in a player and spend some time working out a long-term deal. So the tight end filing a grievance may not be necessary at all.
His focus, and that of his agent, is to secure a lucrative new contract in Miami. That is where his play lining up as a receiver can be considered. Gesicki is not going to get top-tier receiver money. However, he can get above $11 million annually if negotiations include his abilities lining up in the slot and outside.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers has the highest average annual value of any tight end at $15 million. Travis Kelce is next at $14.3 million.
Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, several people around the NFL believe Mike Gesicki could file a grievance over the tag to argue he should be valued as a wide receiver instead of a tight end
(h/t Bleacher Report) https://t.co/ZVsF44p0g2
The problem for Gesicki is that he is not at the level of either of those players. Yes, he is lining up as a receiver most of the time, becoming a dynamic weapon in the Dolphins offense. Yet his career-high in yards is 780 for an entire season. He also has a total of 13 touchdowns in four seasons. So it's not like he is lining up as a receiver and performing like a top one.
A grievance should only come into play if the Dolphins show no desire to work out a fair, long-term deal. In that case, Gesicki and his agent can make an appropriate point that he deserves a bit more on this deal, considering how he lines up compared to his listed position.
How that process would work given the rules of the NFL remains unknown and would be a fascinating situation to watch out for.