Through the summer, we will be counting down the Jets roster player by player. We continue the series by discussing Mason Taylor.
Name: Mason Taylor
Number: 85
Year With Jets: 2nd
Projected Role: Number two tight end
His 2025: The Jets picked Taylor in the second round out of the 2025 NFL Draft out of LSU. At the point the team picked him, it felt like his game needed some refinement. On a normal team, Taylor likely would have seen a limited snap count and focused on using practice reps to develop. With
the Jets lacking quality at tight end, Taylor ended up playing 81 percent of the snaps.
On one hand, he led the team with 44 catches and finished second with 369 receiving yards. On a team where the quarterback play for the bulk of the season was sub-NFL caliber, that isn’t nothing.
On the other hand, Taylor didn’t really flash all that might high end ability. While Adonai Mitchell had a game where he dominated and went over 100 yards, Taylor’s most productive day as a receiver came in a 67 yard early season performance against Dallas where the bulk of his production came in garbage time.
Is that the end of the world? Not really. The Jets’ passing game was completely inept in 2025, and big things weren’t expected of Taylor anyway. He did fine statistically relative to expectations. Anecdotally, I must admit I’m not sure I saw a quarterback independent area where Taylor looked like a potential difference maker, though. He didn’t show a ton of ability to separate on downfield routes, break tackles after the catch, or block. Maybe those will come in time.
2026 will be a success if: Taylor ends up being a quality chain mover and a reliable security blanket for Geno Smith.
Taylor’s trajectory and expectations changed with the selection of Kenyon Sadiq in the NFL Draft. Sadiq is now the primary tight end. That allows Taylor to slide into a supporting role. He will still see the field plenty as the Jets figure to make extensive use of double tight end personnel groupings.
That might be the best thing for him. That lack of game breaking ability fades away with Sadiq around. Taylor can focus on refining his route running and become a reliable target in the short game. That could be plenty good enough with Sadiq handing the higher impact role.
Odds of making the roster: Lock (>99%)
