The New York Jets have one remaining unsigned rookie from the 2025 class.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained what the holdup is between the Jets and former LSU tight end Mason Taylor.
“Second-round pick Mason Taylor still hasn’t signed his rookie contract, but he’s in the majority. As of Friday, only two of the 32 picks in the second round are under contract. As usual, the amount of guaranteed money is the primary sticking point. The top two picks in the round, Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins, reportedly received fully guaranteed deals — the first fully-guaranteed contracts for second-round picks,” Cimini said.
There Is Still Good News in This Taylor Contract Jets Situation
Despite the holdup with the contract, Taylor has fully participated in the voluntary workout programs this offseason.
On the other hand, Shemar Stewart, who was taken with the No. 17 overall pick in the first round, has skipped all of the Cincinnati Bengals OTAs as he waits for his contract situation to be resolved.
In other words, Jets fans, things could be worse.
History was made at the beginning of the second round. Schwesinger and Higgins both received fully guaranteed deals, which had never happened before for second-rounders. Taylor and the other players who went in the second round are hoping they can join this new movement.
So far, the other teams in the league are hesitant to acquiesce.
The Jets still have two more weeks of OTAs followed by a three-day mandatory minicamp. After that minicamp concludes, there is a six-week gap until training camp arrives in late July. There is still plenty of time to hammer out any issues at the contract negotiation table.
Taylor Has Tremendous Upside at the Tight End Position for the Jets
Dane Brugler of The Athletic only graded three tight ends in the entire class with first-round grades. Taylor was the last of that bunch. The other two, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, both went inside the top-14 picks of the 2025 NFL draft.
“Athletic big man who is still growing into his frame. Dependable hands and naturally adjusts to throws away from [the] body. Focus doesn’t flinch in traffic. Cleanly frames and catches in stride for quick transitions to running after [the] catch,” Brugler wrote in Taylor’s profile for “The Beast.”
“[Taylor] secures through contact to withstand crushing hits. Runs smooth routes and quickly gets [his] head turned to make himself available. Strong positional blocker to shield and steer. Understands angles and [is] effective as a stalk blocker, especially on [the] perimeter. Started right away in SEC and caught a pass in 37 of 38 career games,” Brugler added.
Taylor is the most accomplished tight end in LSU franchise history. Brugler revealed that Taylor “ranks first (55), third (38), and fourth (36) in single-season catches by LSU tight end.”
This impressive resume has hyped up Jets fans ahead of his rookie season. The green and white have struggled to produce at that position consistently for the last 15 years. Taylor has a path to not only carve out a role immediately but also to become a key part of this offense moving forward.
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