Just as New England Patriots tight end Mike Gesicki was trending upward in camp, injury struck.
Gesicki suffered a mild dislocated shoulder during Monday's practice, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, per a source informed of the injury.
The hope is the tight end is back for Week 1 despite the shoulder injury, Rapoport added.
Gesicki suffered the injury during a drill on Monday and was seen grabbing at his shoulder as he headed toward the locker room.
After five seasons in Miami, the Patriots signed Gesicki to a one-year, $4.5 million contract in March worth up to $9 million with incentives.
The pass-catcher is pegged for a sizable role in New England's reworked offense in two tight-end sets alongside Hunter Henry. With the dearth of dynamic wide receivers in New England, the 6-foot-6 TE could be a significant factor in the Patriots' passing game, including the red zone.
After being miscast in Mike McDaniel's offense last season in Miami, Gesicki was set to return to the pass-catching role he thrived in early in his career. The hope is the shoulder issue won't derail that plan before it gets off the ground.
Want to follow these storylines and more? NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch live out-of-market preseason games, daily coverage on NFL Network, the best NFL programming on-demand and much more! Plus, NFL RedZone is now part of NFL+ Premium! Learn more about NFL+.
