For much of the 2025 season, Mike Gesicki has been an afterthought in the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense.
Through five games, the former Penn State star has managed just eight receptions on 16 targets for 61 yards, failing to top 20 yards in any contest. But that could change in Week 6 -- and in a hurry.
With Joe Flacco stepping in at quarterback and a Green Bay Packers defense vulnerable over the middle, Gesicki could be the unexpected spark that keeps Cincinnati’s offense on schedule.
Bengals TE Mike Gesicki has skills to exploit vulnerable Packers LBs in coverage
The Bengals’ offense has undergone a sudden shift following Joe Burrow’s injury. Flacco, acquired from Cleveland after a brief stint with the Browns, brings a wealth of experience but limited knowledge of Zac Taylor’s playbook.
That lack of chemistry and timing with Cincinnati’s elite duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins could force the offense to simplify -- and that’s where Gesicki’s role becomes critical.
A former target funnel during his days in Miami a handful of years ago, Gesicki thrives in the areas of the field where timing and trust matter most: the short and intermediate zones.
His frame, route-running, and body control make him a natural security blanket for a quarterback still learning the system, and Flacco, no matter how experienced he is, will have roughly 20 to 30% of the entire playbook to go off of. Meaning, he'll rely heavily on quick reads and easy completions, especially against a Green Bay defense that has quietly allowed tight ends to find success between the numbers.
Through five weeks, the Packers’ linebacking duo of Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker has been heavily targeted in coverage this year -- the two most tested players in the unit with 26 targets against a piece.
Both are athletic, young, physical ballplayers, but they’ve had lapses in zone awareness and discipline, particularly when offenses use motion and play action to pull them out of their landmarks.
That’s where Gesicki can exploit space. He’s at his best when working the seams, running shallow crossers, or settling into soft zones in high leverage situations -- the type of routes that cater directly to Flacco’s strengths as a veteran pocket passer.
While much of the defensive attention will still center around Chase and Higgins on the perimeter, Gesicki offers an ideal outlet to keep drives alive. If the Packers deploy two-high safety shells to limit explosive plays, the middle of the field will be open. His ability to box out the likes of Cooper and Walker could give Flacco exactly what he needs: a reliable, rhythm-based option to move the chains.
It’s easy to overlook Gesicki amid Cincinnati’s star-studded offense, but Week 6 could finally be the game that brings him back into focus. The Bengals don’t need him to dominate statistically; they need him to be dependable, efficient, and present -- the kind of player who converts third downs and sustains drives when the deep shots aren’t there.
For a Cincinnati offense searching for any type of rhythm with a new quarterback, Gesicki could be the stabilizing force. And against a Packers defense vulnerable in the middle, the veteran tight end might just find himself as the quiet difference-maker on Sunday -- the unexpected key to potentially flipping the odds a bit more in Cincinnati's favor.