Kenyon Sadiq's Week 3 breakout proves he needs to be a primary weapon going forward

The New York Jets fell 31-24 to the Detroit Lions in Week 3. Despite the loss, there were some positives to take away from the contest, and the play from tight end Kenyon Sadiq was arguably the biggest one.

He played in a season-high 38 snaps and was a dynamic weapon for an offense that was depleted at pass catcher. Sadiq finished with seven grabs for 105 receiving yards and a touchdown.

This was just his third career game after missing the bulk of training camp and preseason. Yet, his impact was evident and should be something New York leans on going forward.

Kenyon Sadiq's Week 3 performance demands a bigger role in New York Jets offense

Going into this game without Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., and Mason Taylor, fans hoped that the team would lean on Sadiq, and they did exactly that.

The rookie was explosive with the ball in his hands and showed his ridiculous catch radius on a 24-yard touchdown grab. Geno Smith threw a perfectly placed ball down the seam, where Sadiq extended to make a diving catch with the defender right there.

There aren't many tight ends in the league who can move as Sadiq can. When New York nabbed him with the 16th overall pick, there was plenty of excitement about the potential that he could bring. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, which was the fastest time recorded by a tight end.

He also had a 43.5" vertical jump, and it helped him get a 99 Athleticism Score, per NFL.com, which was No. 1 among tight ends. His traits and big-play ability are crystal clear. The Jets need to continue finding ways to get him the football going forward.

Even when everyone is back in the fold, offensive coordinator Frank Reich still needs to find ways to get No. 16 involved. He gives the Jets offense a true matchup nightmare for opposing teams. Safeties will have difficulty with Sadiq's physicality, and linebackers won't be able to keep up with his speed.

There's no hiding the talent that the Oregon product brings, and his skill set was on full display against the Lions. The last time New York had a tight end go over 100 yards was Ryan Griffin in 2019. That goes to show how long it's been since the Jets had a productive tight end.

Sadiq can attack the defense on all three levels. He and Garrett Wilson were the top options in the passing game for New York in Week 3, and it yielded positive results. With more pass catchers slated to return in the next couple of weeks, that will benefit Sadiq even more.

The Jets finally have a talented weapon at tight end, and they need to make sure they feed him going forward.

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