The New York Jets will get second-year tight end Mason Taylor back Sunday against the Cleveland Browns after he missed the past two games with a right thumb injury, even as running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell remain sidelined.
Taylor said he was never entirely certain how the injury happened, tracing the discomfort back to a play against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2.
“It was an just an unfortunate injury, but it’s one of those things that you’ve just got to get better,” Taylor said. “I was able to heal pretty fast, so I’m ready to go.”
Jets coach Aaron Glenn said the team entered the offseason with high hopes for Taylor, whom New York selected in the second round of the 2025 draft out of LSU. As a rookie, Taylor caught 44 passes for 369 yards and a touchdown. This season got off to a rougher start, with just two catches for minus-2 yards through the first two games before the injury.
Glenn said the injury hasn’t changed his outlook on the young tight end.
“Absolutely,” Glenn said. “Just because things happened with him within this season as far as injuries, that doesn’t mean that my expectations have dropped at all. Obviously, we saw what he did in training camp. I expect those things to happen as the season continues to progress and we still have a lot of games left. He’s a really good player, so I look forward to seeing how he progresses as he gets back out there.”
In Taylor’s absence, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq stepped up with a standout performance against the Detroit Lions, hauling in seven catches for 105 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown. He went without a catch the following week in Chicago.
Taylor’s return gives quarterback Geno Smith another target in the passing game and restores a blocking presence in the run game.
“I’ve just got to pick up where I left off,” Taylor said. “I think I was doing some good things in the run game and showing up in the pass. I think I’ll just go back to it and keep up the work and get back consistent.”
In other roster moves, the Jets activated wide receiver Tim Patrick off injured reserve, waived wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett and elevated linebacker Jaden Keller from the practice squad.
The team also saw three players fined for unnecessary roughness stemming from last week’s game against the Bears. Safety Dane Belton was fined $19,389 for use of his helmet, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was fined $17,911 for a hip-drop tackle, and defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. was fined $6,683 for a hip-drop tackle.
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