Jets nearing end of Mason Taylor debacle after key rookie contract domino falls

The end is near!

Justin Fried

NY Jets tight end Mason Taylor / Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

The Mason Taylor contract saga might finally be nearing its conclusion. With New York Jets rookies set to report to training camp this Saturday, Taylor remains one of the many unsigned second-round picks across the NFL.

But after months of waiting, the long-standing stalemate between the Jets and their rookie tight end may finally be coming to an end.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late Wednesday night that the San Francisco 49ers agreed to terms with rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins on a four-year, $10.3 million deal that includes over $9 million in guarantees. Collins was the 43rd overall pick in this year's NFL draft, one spot after the Jets took Taylor.

Schefter added that Collins' contract is “expected to trigger multiple second-round signings." All signs point to Taylor’s deal being finalized soon, ideally before the team’s rookie class officially reports for camp this weekend.

Jets' Mason Taylor contract stalemate should be coming to an end soon

The Jets selected Taylor with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the third tight end off the board and one of the team's most important offensive additions of the offseason. The expectation is that Taylor will be the Jets' Week 1 starting tight end.

Jeremy Ruckert returns as the only notable holdover from last year’s roster, while the team added former Chargers hybrid receiving threat Stone Smartt in free agency.

Neither Ruckert nor Smartt projects as a legitimate starting option. Ruckert is a "blocking" tight end who has struggled to make an impact as a receiver and hasn't really distinguished himself as a blocker either. Smartt is an oversized wide receiver who offers little as an in-line blocker.

Taylor's contract debacle stems from a league-wide issue centered on guaranteed money in second-round deals. After early picks in the round received fully guaranteed contracts, agents for others, including Taylor, have followed suit.

But progress stalled largely due to New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, taken just two picks before Taylor, whose camp is reportedly demanding a fully guaranteed deal under the expectation that he'll start as a rookie. Now that Collins has signed his contract, the hope is that many others will join him soon.

The Jets would certainly like to have their rookie tight end available for the start of training camp. Every practice rep matters, especially for a young tight end who's expected to step into a starting role early in his career.

With the domino finally falling, the Jets should be on the verge of locking up their presumed starting tight end. All eyes now turn to Mason Taylor’s signature.

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Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.