Jets Have Good Reason to Limit Kenyon Sadiq's Week 1 Snap Count

There is no reason to rush the rookie TE into a role he isn't ready for yet.

The Jets must exercise caution with Kenyon Sadiq if they want to give their rookie TE his best shot at success this season. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The wait is finally over as the Jets head to Nashville to face former head coach Robert Saleh and the Titans in their Week 1 opener on Sunday. It is the first opportunity to see what Aaron Glenn and the coaching staff have learned from a 3-14 season in 2025 and whether they have the pieces in place to make some strides.

While the performance on the field will go a long way in determining how far this Jets team can go, the key to a potential early advantage this season falls on Glenn's shoulders as he takes over the play-calling duties on defense and former HC Frank Reich assumes the offensive coordinator role.

One decision that could benefit the Jets the most is limiting rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq's availability in Week 1. Although they surprised many by selecting the former Oregon product 16th overall, one year after drafting fellow TE Mason Taylor, hernia surgery and a setback in his recovery forced Sadiq to miss the final four weeks of practice and the preseason.

With that in mind, it is important for the Jets to ease him back into the lineup and let him get back up to speed. After all, he was sidelined for much of the offseason, and it is crucial that someone of his talent level is familiar with the system and not rushed back too soon with a heavy workload.

Expect Kenyon Sadiq to have a limited role in Week 1

It has been assumed for a while now that Sadiq would not be starting on Sunday because of the injury setback he's faced, and that doesn't appear to have changed now that game week has arrived. He has been working out with the offense and seems to be making progress in his recovery, but the Jets have no reason to immediately thrust him into the starting role.

There is no denying that Sadiq has earned the trust of his coaches despite a slow start in camp, primarily due to his versatility, physicality and playmaking abilities. That said, he is still not a finished product and does not need to be on the field for every snap, given the depth the Jets have already assembled at the position.

Just last season, they drafted Taylor in the second round and he went on to have the second-most receiving yards (369) on the team in his rookie season. With a strong training camp behind him, it is not out of the question at all that he makes a huge leap in Year 2 and potentially becomes one of the league's best TEs.

All eyes will be on Mason Taylor as the Jets look for him to make the all-important second-year leap. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After all, the former LSU Tiger was limited due to an ankle injury, but was fully integrated into the offseason later in the campaign and showed the signs that led many to believe a second-year breakout could be in the cards.

Taylor only posted the 31st-ranked overall grade (59.6) out of 37 qualified TEs last season, per Pro Football Focus, but he has made improvements in getting yards after the catch in practice and enters the 2026 season having already established some chemistry with quarterback Geno Smith.

Sadiq has already shown he'll be a force with his blocking and elite speed to make plays in the open field. However, the risk may not be worth the reward of playing Sadiq for the majority of the opener. He is too talented to rush him back before he is truly ready, and this TE room is certainly more than capable of taking the majority of the snaps until he is back up to speed.

With a favorable matchup against the Titans to kick things off and the rest of the season still in front of the Jets, expect Sadiq to have a limited role to begin his NFL career as he puts the injury behind him and gets back to full strength.

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