Mason Taylor just gave the Jets another reason to believe in a 2026 breakout

Despite flashing as a rookie amid the Jets’ quarterback woes, New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor entered training camp as a slightly forgotten weapon in the passing game. 

But while he may have occasionally slipped our minds, neither Jets coach Aaron Glenn nor offensive coordinator Frank Reich ever lost track of Mason. 

Reich loves multi-tight-end sets, which bodes well for the trio of Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, and Jeremy Ruckert, the latter of whom signed an extension last December. The Jets used a first-round pick on Sadiq, an All-American at Oregon, this past April. 

And as Taylor reiterated on Saturday, the staff has made it clear that they intend to use all three tight ends in various roles. 

"There’s endless opportunities,” Taylor told reporters. “If we can be that wild card [and] they don’t know what we’re going to do, we’re going to be pretty dangerous."

What to know about Mason Taylor and the New York Jets’ tight ends

For the sake of conversation, let’s assume that Taylor, Sadiq, and Ruckert all stay healthy, and they’re the three tight ends who make the Week 1 roster. 

Taylor and Sadiq are traditional receiving tight ends, whereas Ruckert’s impact is often more felt as a blocker. However, Reich previously signaled that Ruckert will still have a key role in the Jets’' offense. 

Ruckert, a 2022 third-round pick, set career highs with 23 catches and 179 yards last year. He also caught his first touchdown. 

Personally, Taylor is the one whom I’m most excited to see in Reich’s system. There are only so many targets to go around, and Taylor has the talent to solidify himself as Geno Smith’s safety blanket. 

Although Sadiq should see the field given his status as a first-round pick, those constant Dustin Keller comps give me pause. Not that Keller was bad by any means. But when you invest a first-round pick on a tight end, you’re looking for Brock Bowers rather than Noah Fant. 

Taylor has more wiggle room, and that arguably works in his favor. He’s only a second-year player on the standard four-year rookie contract, so there’s potentially less of an obligation to force him onto the field. 

And no, I’m not predicting that Taylor will be the next Bowers or Trey McBride. But even if his ceiling is a top-15 tight end, then the Jets would be thrilled. 

"Coach Reich, he's going to have a hell of a time scheming for our offense," Taylor said.

Those who survived watching the likes of Tim Boyle, Luke Falk, and Brady Cook just rejoiced. 

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