The link between Dolphins’ success and Gesicki involvement. And what Waddle noticed on Tua

Only three NFL tight ends produced more receiving yards than Mike Gesicki last season. And so when Gesicki played only 21 of Miami’s 54 snaps and didn’t catch a single pass in Sunday’s opener against New England, it was difficult not to notice.

On plays when the Dolphins believe their offensive line needs blocking help, they’re far more likely to use tight end Durham Smythe — who played 38 snaps on Sunday — or Adam Shaheen, who missed the game due to COVID-19 but is now back.

Last week, the Dolphins at times were even more inclined to play rookie Hunter Long in run-heavy situations; Long played 18 snaps. And newcomer Cethan Carter — a skilled blocker — logged 13 offensive snaps.

But even in a contract year, Gesicki accepts that reality gracefully. Nor is he bemoaning being targeted only twice in the opener, a year after he caught 53 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games.

“I’ve been through... the adversity, the getting the ball, the not getting the ball,” he said Thursday. “... We’ve got a bunch of different packages and a bunch of different guys that go in for different roles….

“At the end of the day, we won a football game in a place that we haven’t won a football game too many times in the past [several] years. That was good.”

Though he has worked to improve his blocking, this Dolphins regime doesn’t use him as much as a blocker as the previous coaching staff did, opting instead to maximize his strengths as a receiver.

Last season, he pass protected only eight times, compared with 68 for Smythe and 39 for Shaheen. This staff also hasn’t leaned on him a lot as a run-blocker.

“I don’t think that I’m going in there to.. run block and do all of that stuff; but when my name gets called, I’m going to throw my helmet in there and... not just ruin the play,” he said. “I think that’s kind of the perception of me in terms of run blocking and going in on running downs. If you know anything about me, I literally [couldn’t] care less about what anybody says about me.”

Sunday’s opener marked only the second time in his past 36 games that Gesicki didn’t catch a pass. He’s likely to be far more involved in the passing game on Sunday against Buffalo.

He produced his best game of the season in Week 2 against the Bills last season, finishing with eight catches for 130 yards and a touchdown. He had 47 yards on five receptions in the season-ending blowout loss in Orchard Park, New York.

“They’re a good defense,” he said. “They do a very good job of disguising coverages… Both the safeties,... [Jordan] Poyer and [Micah] Hyde do a great job.

“Then also you’ve got another couple talented linebackers in [Tremaine] Edmunds and [Matt] Milano. So they’ve got a bunch of different guys that they can put on you. They’ve got a good nickel in Taron Johnson. You’ve just got to be able to identify the coverage, identify who is on you and how to run specific routes.”

One thing is clear: The Dolphins win more often than not when Gesicki’s receiving skills are maximized. Over his three-plus seasons, Miami is 5-2 when Gesicki has at least 60 yards in receptions. On the flip side, Miami is 4-2 since the start of last season when Gesicki has 30 or fewer yards in receptions.

The Dolphins are 2-2 in his career when he’s targeted 10 times or more in a game.

Though Smythe is often perceived as the Dolphins’ backup tight end, he has more starts in his career than Gesicki (30 to 21) in their three-plus seasons here.

Smythe started 13 games last season and started the opener against New England. Gesicki started nine games last season and wasn’t on the field for the opening snap last Sunday.

Both impending free agents remain close, though they’re no longer roommates.

“I didn’t kick him out so I don’t want that to be the story here; I don’t want the headline to be ‘Gesicki kicks best friend out,’” Gesicki cracked. “He did move out unfortunately, but he’ll be back. He’ll be back for dinner; he’ll be back to hang out. My fiancée is down here and she’ll cook Durham some dinner.”

So does Gesicki miss Smythe as a roommate?

“I do,” Gesicki said. “I loved the company. We would come home, I would sit on the couch, he would sit on the other side of the couch obviously, and then we would watch Snowfall on Hulu. It’s a great show. We went through all four seasons. The good thing is we were able to finish the show together. Now we literally spend now from 7 a.m. until 6:30 or 7 at night So we still get 12 hours a day [together] which is plenty.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Dolphins rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle, who played with Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama, was asked the difference between the college and NFL Tagovailoa.

“He’s much more vocal,” Waddle said. “He’s got a little more bass in his voice.”

Waddle said it’s “pretty cool” that rookie receivers Waddle, DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia) and Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati) all caught touchdown passes in Week 1. Waddle and Smith were Alabama teammates and remain close.

▪ The Dolphins spent time this week watching tape of Buffalo’s 56-26 demolition of Miami to close last season.

“We watched the film, saw what we did wrong,” linebacker Jerome Baker said. “It was disappointing. We know we’re a better team [than that].”

They also watched tape of Buffalo’s 31-28 win against Miami in Week 2 last season.

The season-ending loss “left a bitter taste in our mouth,” defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said.

▪ Robert Hunt, who graded out well in the final month of last season as a right tackle, said he doesn’t think about whether he’s better suited to play right guard (his new position) or tackle.

“I just want to be a good NFL player in general,” he said. “I’m working my butt off to be good.”

Hunt said he “did some things OK” in the opener but “I’ve got some things to work on.”

Hunt, 25, learned to drive just a year ago and initially avoided using South Florida highways, taking back roads instead.

He grows frustrated with “damn people that don’t use the [turn] signal. That [angers] everyone.”

▪ Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson — whose brother Reid is the long snapper for the Bills — said he has been recognized only once in South Florida (by the owner of a local restaurant) and has been called “Mike Gesicki” multiple times in public. Both Ferguson and Gesicki have blonde hair.

▪ The Dolphins on Thursday auditioned offensive tackle Roderick Johnson, a former Cleveland Browns fifth-round pick out of FSU who appeared in 29 games and started six for Houston over the past three seasons.