New Patriots tight end duo takes center stage during OTAs
Throughout a handful of optional OTA practices, the New England Patriots have seen attendance go up and down at the wide receiver position. What has been constant, however, has been the tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki on and off the field.
That should be nothing new for those who have followed Bill O’Brien throughout his coaching career, especially as he took the league by storm with the prolific two tight end Patriots’ offense back in 2011.
After signing Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith to large money contracts back in the 2021 offseason, many thought the infamous two tight end offense would make a triumphant return in New England. The opposite occurred, however, as Smith never found his footing in Foxboro and Henry took a step back last year after a promising first season.
In total, the Patriots played less than 16 percent of their offensive snaps in two tight end formations over the last five seasons. That included a measly five percent back in 2020.
Now back on the practice fields, the stage has been set for what looks like a heavy increase of 12 personnel with Gesicki in the fold.
“I think the biggest thing is molding [it all] together. Those two are going to work as a pair,” quarterback Mac Jones said last week. “It might be different guys at times, but Mike definitely has playmaking ability. He’s a smart football player, and I’m just excited to work with him.”
While the duo of Henry and Gesicki may not compare to Gronkowski and Hernandez, they fit the mold of what O’Brien typically looks for in his ‘Y’ and ‘F’ tight ends. While Henry has been used more as the traditional ‘Y’, O’Brien has used full advantage of Gesicki’s versatility lining him up in numerous spots.
“Always admired Mike from afar,” Henry said Friday. “It’s pretty cool that we get to pair up now. He’s a great player. Big and strong, can run, great hands, great routes. So, it’s going to be a lot of fun to be able to go out there and compete with him.”
Despite being heavily involved on the field together, the pair also seem to be joined at the hip on the sideline throughout the open practices.
“It’s cool to be in the huddle with [Hunter], and talk through some things when we’re out there, how we see coverage,” Gesicki said on Tuesday. “It’s all been good. He’s been great to deal with, and awesome as a leader in the tight end room.”
Both Henry and Gesicki’s career have featured significant coaching changes around them in recent years. Henry will enter his fourth consecutive year with a new offensive coordinator, as this year marks Gesicki’s sixth OC in his six-year career.
While Henry explained that’s life in the NFL, they both hope the introduction to Bill O’Brien will lead to results.
“The beauty of this offense, and what Coach O’Brien has been so successful doing, is understanding everybody’s strengths and weaknesses, and what guys do better,” Gesicki said. “It’s been really good. It’s been a good offseason. There’s a lot of ball left before we head out for the summer and then it gets real once we come back.”
Source: Pats Pulpit
