Jets Playmaker Projected to Be Breakout Candidate Despite Slow Start to Offseason

The New York Jets brought in several new faces on both sides of the ball during the offseason in hopes of improving from their disastrous 3-14 mark in 2025. Demario Davis, Geno Smith, David Bailey, Nahshon Wright, T’Vondre Sweat, etc., should all play a part in turning around this Jets squad this upcoming season.

However, it won’t be just up to the new players to carry that weight. The players who were on the team last year will have to do their part, too. For as bad as the Jets were in Aaron Glenn’s first year, several players stood out, including a few guys from the 2025 draft class.

If you looked at the Jets’ 2025 class and forecasted, who would break out in 2026? Some fans would say Armand Membou, while others might mention Azareye’h Thomas or even Malachi Moore for various reasons. That said, Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim believes tight end Mason Taylor could be the Jets’ breakout player.

Mason Taylor was among the Jets affected by a porous passing attack a season ago, but the second-round tight end will look to be more productive in his sophomore campaign. Taylor caught 44 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown as a rookie, and will now be playing under an offensive coordinator in Frank Reich who has succeeded in utilizing the position at previous stops. Taylor will have competition from first-round rookie Kenyon Sadiq and the Jets’ other new pass catchers, but should still see opportunities to improve.
Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim

Even though the Jets invested a first-round pick in Kenyon Sadiq in April’s draft, fans would love for Taylor to continue his ascension and build off his rookie season.

Looking back at the Jets’ offense last year, which finished dead last in passing yards per game (140.3), it’s impressive to think that Taylor had success, given the revolving door at quarterback.

Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook all took snaps under center, but it didn’t matter to Taylor, who stepped up as the top receiving threat with Garrett Wilson banged up. The rookie tight end led the Jets in targets (65) and receptions (44) and finished second in receiving yards (369).

If Wilson hadn’t been placed on injured reserve in the final month of the season, he could’ve been the team’s leading receiver over Wilson (395). That said, despite his rookie season being cut short, there was a lot of excitement about what he could do in 2026 with better QB play and a new offensive system. However, that excitement has been put on pause with Taylor’s performance in OTAs and minicamp.

Taylor’s second-year ascension hits a speed bump in OTAs and minicamp

Unlike wide receivers Adonai Mitchell and Isaiah Williams, who have stood out over the last several weeks in OTAs and minicamp by making plays, it's been the opposite for Taylor.

With Sadiq not participating in OTAs and minicamp because of a minor hernia procedure, this was a golden opportunity for Taylor to show offensive coordinator Frank Reich that he must be part of the game plan this season when they go to 12-personnel.

Instead, Taylor reportedly dropped a pass in the end zone during last week’s minicamp practice, per Jets on SI’s Nick Faria. If he holds onto the pass, it's a touchdown. That said, it wasn’t all gloom and doom for the former LSU standout as he had a catch over the middle in a 7-on-7 drill during last week’s minicamp practice.

7-on-7 work today for the #Jets

Three straight completions: one to Breeece, one to Mason Taylor over the middle and a circus grab from GW.

Nice grab going across his body to make the play.
— Nick “Mike Farrell” Faria (@Nick_Faria1720) June 17, 2026

Simply put, it was a mixed bag of results from Taylor, which isn’t ideal, as he’s supposed to take over and show the coaches that just because Sadiq is here, he won’t just automatically win the TE1 job.

But now Taylor has put himself in a tough spot where he has to make plays in training camp, as Sadiq has the athleticism and skills to steal the spotlight from the former second-round pick.

What can Taylor do to have a breakout year in 2026?

There’s no easy way to answer this question, as Taylor will be competing with several players for targets in the passing game. When you look at the Jets’ WR room, one could argue that Wilson, Mitchell, and Omar Cooper Jr. could take targets away from Taylor.

And that doesn’t include Williams, who had 36 targets last year. Then you factor in Breece Hall as a receiving threat out of the backfield, plus Sadiq, and it's unlikely that Taylor will have 65 targets in 2026.

However, he can still be effective and a weapon for Geno Smith as a target inside the red zone. Last year, Taylor led the Jets’ wide receivers and tight ends with eight red zone targets. Now, if everyone stays healthy and Sadiq is the player that everyone believes he can be, Taylor might lose a few red zone targets in 2026.

That said, if he can put OTAs and minicamp behind him, and look like the guy coming out of LSU, there’s no reason to think that the Jets can’t have the best tight end tandem in the NFL, which will only make them harder to defend.

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