Exploring which three Miami Dolphins players Bill Belichick would love to have on the New England Patriots roster.
The Miami Dolphins always find a way to make life miserable for the New England Patriots.
No matter where the two teams are in the standings, it is always a good bet that the games will come down to the wire like they did in Week 17 of the 2020 NFL season.
In defeating the Patriots in Foxboro of all places, the AFC East rivals knocked Bill Belichick and his team right out of a first-round bye which ultimately led to a quick playoff exit and the demise of Tom Brady in a Patriots’ uniform.
While facing each other twice a season is a main reason the Dolphins always find a way to compete with the Patriots, familiarity in personnel is also a major reason as many ex-coaches and players make up the Dolphins roster.
New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins player exchange
With players like Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts and Ted Karras making the journey to South Beach, the Dolphins may as well change their nickname to Patriots South. All kidding aside, Belichick has his own resume of luring Dolphins players to New England.
There was that one slot receiver, who kicked a couple field goals against the Patriots who became one of the top receivers in all the NFL while under Belichick. His name was Wes Welker.
We all know the strength of Bill Belichick is his ability to identify players who could help his team win. He has already coached a few players on the Dolphins roster, but which three players would he love to coach if the opportunity presented itself?
Let’s dive right in.
Mike Gesicki would make a great New England Patriots tight end.
The New England Patriots drafted two tight ends in the 2020 NFL Draft, but one has to wonder if the team would’ve been in better position at the tight end position had they actually drafted Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki in the 2018 NFL draft.
Selected with the No. 42 overall pick, Gesicki was right for the taking when the Patriots instead drafted cornerback Duke Dawson with the No. 56 pick overall.
Remember him?
Probably not.
Dawson barely played a regular season snap for the Patriots. In the meantime, Gesicki morphed into a solid tight end target down there in South Beach.
The Penn State product took a major step in his second season in the NFL racking in 51 receptions for 570 yards and five touchdowns, including the winning touchdown against the New England Patriots in Week 17 of the NFL season.
At 6-foot-6, 249 pounds, Mike Gesicki would’ve been a nice target for Tom Brady in 2019. Furthermore, he seems like the type of versatile athlete Bill Belichick cherishes as he played both basketball and volleyball in high school and was also an Army All-American in football as a wide receiver.
While there is hope Devin Asiasi or Dalton Keene give the Patriots the type of production Gesicki gives the Dolphins, if the athletic tight end was ever to become available via free agency or trade, he probably would stay within the AFC East.
Would the New England Patriots actually have drafted Tua Tagovailoa?
The Miami Dolphins didn’t end up tanking for Tua and ended up with Tua anyway.
Drafted with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Tua Tagovailoa now has a chance to test his talent against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots twice a season.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
But, had he slid in the draft as was predicted in most NFL mock drafts, could he have actually played for Belichick?
Prior to the draft, rumors were running rampant that Belichick would trade up to select Tagovailoa if he actually did slide down in the draft. While Tua’s talent speaks for itself, the reason for the connection was Belichick’s friendship with Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Now, we are talking about a quarterback who hasn’t played an NFL snap yet. But it is the potential of a talent like Tua Tagovailoa that would intrigue Bill Belichick at the quarterback position.
At 6-foot-0, 2018 pounds, the 22-year-old Alabama product is an aggressive passer who displays the accuracy Belichick likes in a quarterback. With great field vision, he has the arm strength to get the ball anywhere he wants on the field.
Not only has he performed on the biggest stage in college with some clutch performances, he is a tough-minded quarterback who displays versatility within the pocket and is also a threat to make things happened outside the pocket, unlike the quarterback who has been leading the Patriots for the past 19 NFL seasons.
While we will never know what Bill Belichick would’ve done had the Miami Dolphins did not select Tua Tagoviloa with the No. 5 pick overall, we do know that the combination of Belichick and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would’ve developed this kid in the same way they did with Jimmy Garoppolo, except Tua enters the NFL why a bit more talent and higher expectations.
Xavien Howard in a New England Patriots uniform would be special.
We all know that Bill Belichick loves a great cornerback.
With the 2019 AFC Defensive Player of the Year on his side in Stephon Gilmore, Belichick would love to coach a “disruptive” player like Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard.
From the sidelines, Belichick has watched Howard intercept Tom Brady a couple of times, making life miserable for Brady and the New England Patriots passing attack whenever they have faced the Dolphins with him on the field.
What makes Xaiven Howard so special and the type of player Bill Belichick would love to coach?
Well, let Belichick tell you himself.
"“He does a very good job, really, in all areas of pass defense,” Belichick said back in 2018, via Dolphins wire. “He’s good at the line of scrimmage. He’s disruptive. He does a good job of getting his hands on the receivers and making it hard for them to get into the route cleanly. He’s got good length. He’s good down the field. He has quickness to match routes and has good vision.”"
That is pretty much how the New England Patriots coach has described players like Ty Law, Darrelle Revis and Stephon Gilmore.
Despite trade rumors for most of the 2019 NFL season, it appears Dolphins head coach Brian Flores plans on coaching perhaps the best secondary in football as the team has added Byron Jones in free agency to pair with Howard.
But, if there is ever a chance the Dolphins would have to part ways with the talented cornerback, Belichick would be happy to pick up the phone.