This is quite odd really. He came into the draft as the absolute best % catcher of all TE's, meaning he caught a higher percentage of his targets. He also had the best percentage of contested catches as well. But TE is a huge adjustment to the NFL. They have to learn the blocking schemes like an OL--which is very new for most TE's and definitely faaaaaaaaar more expansive than anything Penn State ran. Remember, Penn State recruited Gesicki as a WR, and converted him to TE later. So, yeah, he wasn't the most willing blocker. One reason he's not playing much is because Gase is requiring him to become a good blocker.I just hope he can stay on his feet, or not get bullied by smaller defenders. I think It was Aqua Orange that nailed his comparison...Big Bird on skates.
Gesicki running around looks like a guy the say after doing 1000 squats who can't feel their legs. But, hey he jumped high in shorts
Additionally, the route trees and such are far harder in the pros because the NFL demands precision and much more complexity. So, he's thinking instead of playing instinctively, which makes people tentative and more likely to drop passes. Very few TE's are highly productive as rookies, and even those tend to be guys whose roles are pared down a lot, like Jimmy Graham. The guys who can walk right in and dominate as a two way player are extremely rare.
I'm disappointed we haven't seen the best of Gesicki as a receiver. I was hoping for more. But, if it takes sitting him most of his rookie year and he becomes a competent run blocker and pass protector, I'll take it. I have a lot of faith in his receiving ability, and next year we will see him blossom in that area at least. Just my $0.02.