Jets Training Camp Preview By Position: Will Double-Dipping Work At TE?

The New York Jets' second training camp of the Aaron Glenn era in Florham Park is rapidly approaching, with rookies reporting on July 25 and veterans on July 28.

There's a lot to be excited about in 2026. A strong offseason has brought forth an infusion of talent. With that comes heightened expectations for an organization that finished with just three wins last year.

Over the next few days, we'll be previewing the Jets' roster by position heading into camp: breaking down the depth chart for each role and answering some of the biggest questions facing the team.

Today, we focus on a tight end room under some pretty important pressure. Let's break it down.

Tight End Depth Chart

Safe: Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Jeremy Ruckert
On the Bubble: Jelani Woods

Who will be TE1 once season tarts?

With two tight ends drafted in the first two rounds of the last two drafts, the Jets are telling fans exactly how important the position is to them. Even though Kenyon Sadiq is nursing a hernia injury, the competition for playing time will be fierce.

In one corner, Mason Taylor returns for his second season with the team after finishing in the top two in most receiving statistics for the Jets in 2025. A slow offseason program may have some wondering what Taylor's role will be, especially after New York's recent draft selection.

Sadiq's draft selection was a simple one for the Jets. No tight end was running a 4.39 as he did at the NFL Scouting Combine. His athleticism was something the team could not simply ignore.

Now, Taylor and Sadiq will be competing not only for playing time but for targets. Whoever comes out on top this year could set themselves up nicely to be a face of New York's passing attack.

How much will offseason surgery impact Kenyon Sadiq?

The first-round pick out of Oregon can be a matchup nightmare for defenses. He's fast enough to blow by linebackers and safeties, but is also physical enough to manhandle cornerbacks at the NFL level.

But Sadiq is now a player who has missed most of the offseason practices due to hernia surgery. When Taylor sustained a sprained ankle last summer and missed most of training camp, it hurt his effectiveness to start the year. Could the same happen to Sadiq?

The good thing for the rookie tight end is that he has all of training camp to learn the offense and get acclimated to the professional game. So long as he doesn't get hurt, Sadiq should be ready to make an impact right away for the Jets' offense.

But questions still must be asked about expectations. Just how good can the 16th overall pick be right away?

Is this the year Jelani Woods makes the 53-man roster?

Jelani Woods is in no man's land. New York agreed to terms on an extension for Jeremy Ruckert last year and already has two young players on the roster, for whom they've spent significant draft compensation.

While Woods has played well during offseason workouts, there isn't any room for him on the roster at this point unless the Jets decide to keep four tight ends on the 53. It's an unusual way to do things, but New York clearly values this position more than other teams.

But is there a path for Woods to make the team in 2026?

For that to happen, the former Colt will need to be unguardable in training camp and preseason action. Anything less, and it feels like Woods will be on the chopping block in a simple numbers game.

Player to Watch: Mason Taylor

If New York had gone through the 2026 NFL Draft without selecting a tight end, the message would have been how focused they are on allowing Taylor to be an every-down player in their offense. That didn't happen.

Now, Taylor will seemingly need to prove himself more than last year, as another tight end is nipping at his heels for touches. It doesn't help that Taylor had a less-than-steller offseason workout filled with dropped passes and an inability to make impact plays.

Does this mean Taylor is in for a bad year? Absolutely not. As the son of an NFL Hall of Famer, Taylor understands the importance of going out and proving himself each day. He can, and may end up being a top target in the Jets' offense this year, regardless.

But the time is now for him to prove he belongs on an NFL field as an every-down starter. In the same way the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Michael Mayer in the second round only to take Brock Bowers the very next year, Taylor is in a position battle, even if it may not be fair for a young talent.

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