What Mike Gesicki Injury Update Means For Patriots Offense

The injury that knocked Mike Gesicki out of Monday’s New England Patriots practice could threaten his Week 1 availability.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Tuesday reported the veteran tight end “suffered a mild dislocated shoulder,” and that the Patriots “hope he’s back” in time for their regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10.

Gesicki sustained the injury during a 1-on-1 live tackling drill. After a tackle by linebacker Jahlani Tavai, Gesicki grabbed his shoulder and received medical attention on the field. The tight end was helped off by team trainers and did not return to practice.

While Rapoport’s report suggests Gesicki’s injury should be a short-term issue, losing him for any period of time could radically alter what New England wants to do offensively. New coordinator Bill O’Brien is expected to heavily utilize two-tight end sets, often deploying Gesicki and Hunter Henry on the field together.

Gesicki, who signed this offseason after five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, is more of a 6-foot-6, 245-pound slot receiver than a traditional tight end, so his skill set would be difficult for the Patriots to replicate. Expect Anthony Firkser and Matt Sokol to see more looks with the top offensive unit in his absence, with Scotty Washington and undrafted rookie Johnny Lumpkin also competing for more prominent reps.

Those four reserve tight ends have received a total of just four targets from starting quarterback Mac Jones in training camp (three for Sokol, one for Firkser), per NESN.com’s charting, resulting in zero receptions. Firkser is the only member of that group who’s caught a pass in a regular-season NFL game (115 over five seasons with Tennessee and Atlanta).

Gesicki, conversely, had begun to build momentum after a quiet start to the summer, making tremendous one-handed receptions on Days 10 and 12 of camp and catching three of his four targets from Jones on Sunday. Henry has been Jones’ most consistently reliable target since camp began.

The Patriots also are likely to use more standard three-receiver sets while Gesicki is out. JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and rookie Demario Douglas are their top four wideout options entering Week 2 of the preseason, with Douglas leapfrogging Tyquan Thornton amid an impressive training camp.

New England is set to join the Green Bay Packers for a round of joint practices Wednesday and Thursday before their preseason matchup at Lambeau Field on Saturday night.