Mike Gesicki – July 27, 2019
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Saturday, July 27, 2019
TE Mike Gesicki
(How do you feel?) – “Never been better. I feel great.”
(What do you feel you need to do this camp to show that you’re ready to take your game to the next level?) – “Honestly, just continue to improve in every aspect of my game. Obviously (I want to) continue to get better in the pass game, the run game and pass protection. When you’re a tight end, you have to be able to do everything, especially in this system. I want to be on the field as much as I possibly can, so I have to be able to do it all.”
(Did you do anything in the offseason different from coming in as a rookie last year to prepare?) – “Yeah, everything was different. I didn’t have to train for the Combine or do any of that stuff, so a lot of it was just being able to put on good weight to still be able to come out here and use my advantages, my quickness, my speed, stuff like that. Overall, I feel like I had a good offseason, but all that stuff is behind me now and I’m just ready to roll.”
(How much more confident are you this being Year 2 for you as opposed to last year coming in as a rookie?) – “My confidence never really wavered. I was confident last year; I’m still confident this year. I think, obviously, the experience helps and all of that kind of stuff. I’m ready to prove what I can do.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores mentioned earlier some of the things he’s looking for is blocking, breaking contact off the line of scrimmage. Is that something you feel you’ve come further on since last year?) – “Yeah, absolutely. Obviously, that’s what the whole offseason was for. That’s what getting bigger, faster – you guys know the deal. I’m obviously coming out here and we’ve got great coaches, a great system, a great scheme that talented players have to come out here and make plays. And that’s not just the plays like making catches and stuff like that. It’s getting your hands dirty, getting your head in there and go make plays in the run game.”
(How different is what’s being asked of you in this offense compared to previous offense?) – “I mean tight end is tight end. No matter what you’re told or what you think, you’re going to have to go in and run block, you’re going to have to go in and pass block, you’re going to have to go in and split out and run routes. Honestly, it’s a different system, but the position is the same. You just have to go out and be physical in all aspects of the game.”
(I know we talked to you about body weight numbers back in May. What was the final number as far as what you reported at this year compared to your rookie year?) – “I think last year I came in at like low 240s. This year I was low 250s. Something like that. The key is to be able to keep it on. You guys are out here, you guys are sweating too and you’re just sitting there. (laughter) It’s obviously tough, but you have to be able to keep it on and keep on the good stuff.”
(And that will help you how with that extra weight?) – “Obviously, when you’re asked to go in and block, go in and be physical on safeties and corners that are covering you and linebackers that are trying to get a jam on you. I think just the physical aspect of the game and being able to keep my conditioning up to be able to do all of the more athletic things that come with the positon.”
(What kind of goals have you set for yourself this season?) – “I know it sounds cliché, but my thing is just come in here every day and being positive and taking it one day at a time. Last year I was kind of looking ahead sometimes like, ‘Oh man, we’ve just got to get to here,’ like an off day, because you’re so damn tired during camp. Every single day, I’m just taking it one day at a time and trying to improve. I’m not worried about catching balls in practice and making these big plays and all that, because at the end of the day, the only thing I’m worried about is getting better, whether that’s in the run game, whether that’s blocking somebody, whether that’s being physical on my release. Even if I don’t get the ball, if I run a good route, that’s a check for me right now. I think right now in training camp, if there’s ever a time you can kind of focus on yourself, it’s right now because there’s not games you have to worry about or prepare for. Right now it’s just really hammering down your technique and that kind of stuff.”
(Does it help going up against physical safeties in practice like S Reshad Jones?) – “Oh yeah.”
(I saw you taking S Reshad Jones on today.) – “Reshad, he got after me a little bit on Day 1. I think that was something that alerted me that I’ve got to bring my game every day. He’s a Pro Bowl safety and you’re not going to go up against anyone better than him. To be able to go against him every day in practice, it’s only going to make me better. I’m excited about that aspect of our practices and the competitiveness.”
(How much more intense was practice, because you guys had to pads on today?) – “Honestly, the last two days have been pretty competitive and intense and all of that. But obviously when you put the pads on, it’s obviously different. Guys are coming out here and smacking heads and all of that kind of stuff. It was good though. It was good. I felt good. I feel like we were able to move the ball and do some things. Honestly, the goal today was to come out there and by physical.”
(How do you define toughness both in practice and then on game day on Sunday?) – “It’s all the same. You have to be able to do what you’re asked to regardless of the circumstances, regardless of who it’s against, regardless of how you’re feeling. Toughness isn’t coming out here and talking, it’s all about actions.”
(I saw something from Pro Football Focus saying you’ve caught 22-of-22 catchable balls last year. So when you had the opportunity, you made the catch. But do you ever get down in terms of not having a volume of opportunities?) – “Obviously, me being the competitor that I am, I obviously want to make plays and all of that kind of stuff. Last year was a lot about learning and a lot about growing and fitting myself into the NFL and what this positon entails and all that kind of stuff. I got plenty of years ahead of me to go out and make good plays and catches and all that kind of stuff. Last year is behind me. It’s something that now I’m able to grow on and build on. (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores is always talking about being able to build on that. (I want to) come out this year and take that next step.”
