Manahawkin, NJ, resident Mike Gesicki signs with Bengals

Southern Regional High School graduate Mike Gesicki is on to Cincinnati.

The 2014 graduate, who played his college ball at Penn State spent one year in New England after starting his career in Miami as a second-round pick with the Dolphins.

He gets a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million with the Bengals, where another former Southern Regional star Clark Harris, played from 2009-2022.

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Gesicki, who played for for coach Chuck Donahue at Southern Regional, left as the Rams’ all-time leading receiver with 1,817 yards on 103 receptions, with 16 touchdown and the all-time leader in points for the basketball team (1,866 points). Overall he earned a total of 12 letters in the three sport, also playing volleyball for the Rams.

Gesicki played in all 17 games with the Patriots in 2023, catching 29 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. During his time in Miami he was a big threat in the passing game, catching 231 passes for 2,617 yards and 18 touchdowns during his five seasons with the Dolphins.

Now with the Bengals he gets the chance to play in a much more explosive offense with one of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL, Joe Burrow. The team also has other great weapons like Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins (who has asked to be traded), and newly signed running back Zack Moss from the Colts.

He should have good chance to earn some playing time at tight end where the Bengals top option is Drew Sample, who has just 80 catches for 621 yards and three touchdowns in five season with the Bengals.