Mike Gesicki eager to prove himself in Joe Burrow’s Bengals offense

New Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki has already said Joe Burrow’s team was his No. 1 target right after last season ended.

Gesicki comes over via free agency after a year in a sluggish New England offense as the No. 1 tight end, the latest in a line of short-term solutions at the position for the team.

And he understands that while the upside is high, there’s a challenge joining a new team, too.

“New team, new staff, new quarterback. Everything is new for me,” Gesicki said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “So I have to go out there and earn the trust. It’s more proving what I’m capable of doing and earning more and more opportunities once the football starts. It’s only April. A long way to go.”

Hyped as Bengals fans are for Gesicki, he is indeed at an initial disadvantage in the offense compared to Tanner Hudson, who worked his way into a starting role last year and then re-signed this offseason.

Adding to that, the team could elect to add to the tight end depth chart as early as Round 1 this month in the draft, too, so Gesicki’s earn-it approach, despite his obvious fit and upside, is justified.