Mason Taylor wasn't as bad as Jets fans think he was in Week 1

In many ways, Week 1 was a prime opportunity for New York Jets second-year tight end Mason Taylor. After being selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the hope was that he'd become a key building block for the future. That hope seemed to take a huge hit when the Jets then drafted Kenyon Sadiq in the first round in April.

Sadiq came into the season opener behind the eight ball. He missed nearly all of training camp due to injury and was expected to have only a limited role against the Tennessee Titans. Tight end is also a position with such a steep learning curve that a strong showing from Taylor could have him claim the No. 1 spot on the depth chart throughout 2026.

Instead, Taylor finished the day with two catches for -2 yards and added in a first-quarter drop that some Titans fans feel should have been ruled a fumble after linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. punched the ball out of the 22-year-old's hands. It looked like he was one of the biggest losers on a team that didn't have many performance duds

Hidden beneath the surface, behind the poor showing as a receiver, was actually a very encouraging sign in Taylor's development. He was a beast blocking in the run game, helping pave the way for New York to rack up a dominant 152 yards on the ground. Taylor posted the fourth-highest Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade among all tight ends, coming in at 76.2.

Mason Taylor's run-blocking performance could be the key to opening up the Jets' offense

If Taylor is going to be the second tight end on the depth chart, run blocking is going to be key. That was looking like it would be an issue, as the scouting report on the LSU product coming out of college was that he wasn't a strong blocker, especially in-line.

That was evident last season when he posted a mediocre 63.1 grade. With Sadiq working better as the move tight end, Taylor is going to have to get the job done in line in 12 personnel. Week 1 was an indication that he can do just that.

Frank Reich showed us in Week 1 that establishing the run is going to be a core tenet of his offense, and 12 personnel utilization is going to be a key to executing his vision.

Unlike Ground and Pound 1.0, which Geno Smith was a part of once the talent had deteriorated across the offensive line, Reich's vision doesn't include a fear of opening things up and airing it out downfield.

Instead, he's looking to exploit matchups and keep the defense off balance. These two tight end sets could be critical to doing just that. If Taylor can continue being a force in the run game, the Jets can then use the same formation to confuse the defense and open up the passing attack.

We've seen tight end duos create headaches around the league as both players contribute in the passing game. Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert did it for years together with the Philadelphia Eagles. The most notorious example of this concept in action was the Rob Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez years in New England.

Taylor is going to have to bounce back as a receiver for it to happen, but there's no reason to believe that he won't after just one poor game. If that happens, Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, and Smith will all feast based on the havoc these freakishly athletic tight ends can create.

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