The start of Kenyon Sadiq's journey in the NFL is not off to the start he would have hoped for. The Oregon Ducks rookie tight end was drafted in the first round by the New York Jets in April as a premier pass-catcher along the line of scrimmage. However, getting on the field is proving to be a struggle.
In the spring, Sadiq missed time to have a minor hernia procedure, which coach Aaron Glenn said the Jets were aware was an issue at Oregon before they drafted him. Glenn said the expectation was for Sadiq to return to the field for the start of training camp. As the Jets progress into the first part of camp, another setback has put Sadiq back on the shelf.
On Tuesday, Glenn announced that Sadiq suffered a setback in his recovery and "will be out
for a little bit" during training camp. He does expect the former Oregon star to be ready and suit up for his debut in Week 1 of the season when the Jets travel to face the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 13.
Sadiq participated in the first three days of training camp with the Jets, working off to the side in what Glenn called a "maintenance program." He was absent from practice on Monday and Tuesday, which signaled some concern.
It's big news for the rookie tight end as he will likely miss most or all of the preseason and fall further behind on the depth chart. Sadiq's main competition is Mason Taylor, a second-year tight end for the Jets with similar pass-catching abilities. While Sadiq watches from the sideline, Taylor will have the opportunity to put more reps on tape for the coaches to review.
Even if Sadiq has a smaller role in the offense to begin his career, he could still grow into a larger target share as he did during his career with the Ducks. He finished his final season with the Ducks with 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Jets' Kenyon Sadiq suffers setback, will miss time in training camp
