Jets Are Seeing Signs That Mason Taylor Is Ready for a Second-Year Breakout

Not every tight end is like Brock Bowers or Rob Gronkowski: a star who contributed immediately to their respective teams' offenses.

Travis Kelce barely played in his first season. Trey McBride was nothing more than an afterthought. Even Mark Andrews needed two years to develop into the player he would become.

Past history dictates that Jets starting tight end Mason Taylor is in good shape. The second-round pick out of LSU finished in the top two in receptions and receiving yards in New York's maligned passing offense last season.

The 2026 Jets have a new quarterback and offensive system is in tow. And Taylor has begun to flourish.

"I think we're clicking a little faster on offense," Taylor said. "I'm way more confident than last year. Learning more... It's been good for us."

Mason Taylor gets tackled. — Mason Taylor is confident that a productive offseason from the Jets' front office will take the offense to new heights this fall. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Taylor's connection with starting quarterback Geno Smith has improved with each passing day. After early hiccups in training camp, the QB-TE duo has connected to become a powerful punch to the offense. Now, the Jets don't just hope a breakout is on the way for their second-year tight end.

It's expected.

Jets see breakout coming for Taylor

Going back to his rookie season, Taylor was known for finding himself open quite easily, but struggled with after-the-catch work and run blocking. It was something head coach Aaron Glenn made clear before the offseason began.

"One of the things that he really improved on that we talked about in the exit meetings is his ability to catch and be able to get yards after the catch," Glenn said. "I thought he did a really good job with that."

Since his return to the team, Taylor has excelled at both.

He has become a tight end in practice who can run himself open and then make plays after the reception is made. He may not be as shifty as Kelce or as physical as George Kittle, but Taylor has shown throughout camp that he's ready to be a key cog in the offense.

"A thing about Mason is that he's still growing," Glenn said. "He's still starting to understand exactly what his body can do and how can he go out there and make himself successful in certain situations. I'm excited about that player."

Aaron Glenn watches from sidelines. — Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is confident about Mason Taylor's trajectory as the second-year TE keeps oozing potential. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A potential breakout could even transcend draft picks. When New York selected Kenyon Sadiq with the 16th overall pick in April's draft, fans were worried about what it would mean for Taylor's role in the offense.

Not many modern units can utilize two tight ends in the passing game very well after all.

But with Sadiq making his way back from an injury, Taylor's role has only increased. As a result, the work put in during the offseason, particularly with Smith, has paid off. Taylor said he had worked out 2-3 times with Smith over the summer to be ready for the season. That chemistry has shown on the practice field as they begin to turn the corner in their on-field development together.

It also helps that Taylor's mindset is always team first.

"Whatever my role is, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability," Taylor said. "Whatever I can do to help the Jets win games, I will do."

New York expects a breakout from Taylor in 2026. Based on the past history of other quality tight ends in the league, it's a fair expectation. He built some momentum in the preseason, catching all three of his targets for 29 receiving yards and two first downs.

What Taylor has put on the field certainly shows it could be on the way, hopefully, sooner rather than later, as the Jets look to usher in a new era this fall.

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