Mason Taylor injury comes at the worst possible time for the Jets

The New York Jets entered training camp with high expectations with a retooled offense that was expected to make greater use of their tight ends in 2025. But Gang Green can’t escape the injury bug, as another key piece of their offensive nucleus — and tight end room — is set to miss time.

Aaron Glenn told the media on Tuesday that rookie tight end Mason Taylor was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain and will be sidelined for at least a week. 

Despite his placement on the depth chart, the 2025 second-round pick out of LSU was receiving first-team reps and was off to a promising start to the summer before going down. The son of six-time Pro Bowler and ex-Jet Jason Taylor amassed 55 receptions for 546 yards and two touchdowns in his final season in Baton Rouge.

New offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand was a close confidant of Ben Johnson, and Sam LaPorta became one of the league’s most productive tight ends in Johnson’s system.

So Taylor is poised for plenty of usage in 2025, especially with the pass-catching options for Justin Fields being thin besides Breece Hall and the recently-paid Garrett Wilson. 

Mason Taylor’s ankle injury threatens to stall his early momentum

While a week might not sound like much on paper, high-ankle sprains are notoriously unpredictable, and even a short-term absence can derail a rookie’s early growth. And even less severe high-ankle sprains tend to linger longer than expected.

For a rookie still acclimating to the speed and complexity of the NFL, missing practice reps and preseason snaps can be a major setback, especially for a younger prospect who projects as more of a project, like the 6-foot-5, 251-pound Taylor.

It is pretty much guaranteed that he won’t suit up in New York's preseason opener against the Packers on Saturday, but maybe the Aug. 16 “Battle of New Jersey” between the Jets and Giants is a more realistic return date for Taylor.

The hope is that he will get to play in the 2025 preseason to give the youngster a taste of what to expect when the Jets host the Steelers at MetLife Stadium in Week 1.

In the meantime, Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt will shoulder most of the load in the tight end room. But make no mistake, the Jets see the No. 42 pick as a long-term asset, and they’ll be hoping this early bump in the road doesn’t slow down his development in 2025 too much.

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