Mason Taylor

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		13	44	369	1
2025		13	44	369	1

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Jets secured solid value by locking up Mason Taylor at $2.6M AAV, earning a B CVI that reflects smart roster building around a serviceable starter. At tight end, where proven contributors routinely command $8-12M annually, Taylor's deal represents the sweet spot for a player who won't be confused for Travis Kelce but brings reliable hands and blocking ability that complements the offense. The four-year term with $9.6M guaranteed gives New York cost certainty through Taylor's prime years while avoiding the premium attached to flashier names at the position. This contract structure carries minimal downside risk — if Taylor develops beyond his current serviceable starter tier, the Jets have him locked in at below-market rates, and if he plateaus, the financial commitment won't handicap their salary cap flexibility. New York addressed a key positional need without breaking the bank, the kind of methodical team-building that allows them to allocate bigger money to premium positions while maintaining depth across the roster.

Performance Analysis

Mason Taylor enters the NFL as a second-round pick with legitimate pedigree, but his rookie season with the Jets has been a cautious, developmental one. Through 13 games, he's earned a C- grade — below expectations even by modest rookie tight end standards. Most first-year tight ends struggle to produce immediately, but Taylor's numbers sit behind even that low bar. His yards-per-reception of 8.39 trails the NFL average of 10.10 significantly, and his 28.4 receiving yards per game falls short of the 35.0 league average. The biggest concern is touchdown production — just 0.08 receiving touchdowns per game against an NFL average of 0.25. Taylor isn't creating separation consistently enough, and the Jets' struggling offense hasn't helped manufacture opportunities around him. Still, Taylor is 21 years old with fewer than a full season's worth of snaps, and trajectory matters more than a single-year snapshot at this stage. His 2025 grade of F reflects a difficult situational environment as much as individual shortcomings. If the Jets' offensive infrastructure improves and Taylor develops his route-running through the offseason, a bounce-back to league-average production is a realistic baseline ceiling. Watch for his yards-per-reception and red-zone usage in 2026 — those will be the clearest indicators of whether he develops into a legitimate starter or settles as a complementary chess piece.

Current Sentiment

Mason Taylor enters the 2026 season facing a significant roster challenge after the New York Jets used the 16th overall pick on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, a move that has generated immediate speculation about Taylor's role and long-term standing on the depth chart. The selection of a premium draft asset at his position signals organizational intent to upgrade the tight end room, which naturally casts uncertainty over Taylor's path to meaningful snaps. However, head coach Aaron Glenn has publicly expressed genuine enthusiasm for Taylor as a player, providing a meaningful counterweight to the competitive pressure narrative and suggesting the coaching staff still views him as a developmental asset worth investing in. Taylor's modest statistical footprint through his early career — while understandable given his youth and supporting role — leaves him with limited leverage to assert himself as an established starter heading into camp. The prevailing media and fan sentiment is cautiously skeptical, with Taylor needing a strong training camp and preseason performance to reframe the conversation and carve out a defined role alongside the newly drafted Sadiq.