The injuries are piling up for the New York Jets.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport revealed on X that second-year tight end Mason Taylor suffered a “thumb injury” in Week 2. He is now considered “week-to-week” and is “likely” to miss the Week 3 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
A Disappointing Start for Taylor
The former LSU product entered the league as the No. 42 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft. He became the highest-drafted tight end by the Jets since 2008, when they traded back into the first round for Dustin Keller.
With high draft pedigree comes massive expectations. Taylor had a so-so rookie campaign, which certainly wasn’t helped by the lackluster quarterback play.
He finished with 44 receptions for 369 receiving yards, and he scored one touchdown. Of course, that touchdown reception came from a pass thrown by – no, not a quarterback, but rather Breece Hall on a trick play.
Before the 2026 season, head coach Aaron Glenn went out of his way to pump up Taylor. Glenn predicted at the Annual League Meetings in March that Taylor is going to have a “hell of a year.”
During training camp, Glenn doubled down on his prediction, saying Taylor would pop in year No. 2. Despite that hype, Taylor underwhelmed through the first two games of the 2026 regular season.
In Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, Taylor was targeted three times, catching two passes for negative two receiving yards. Then in Week 2, Taylor put up a goose egg, not registering a single measurable statistic.
Now the talented tight end will be on the shelf for at least this week and maybe longer.
Oh Wait, There’s More
The Jets made a flurry of moves ahead of the Week 3 contest against the Lions.
Gang Green signed defensive lineman Jack Heflin and wide receiver Malik McClain to the active roster. In a corresponding series of roster moves, the team placed linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, defensive lineman David Onyemata, and wide receiver Arian Smith on injured reserve.
McCrary-Ball, Onyemata, and Smith will be forced to miss a minimum of four games. The earliest they could return is for the would be the Week 7 home game against the Miami Dolphins.
In addition to those moves, the Jets also signed tight end Cody Hardy and defensive lineman Isaiah Loudermilk to the practice squad.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, the Jets signed veteran linebacker Troy Reeder to the 53-man active roster. They also brought back linebacker Jaden Keller to the practice squad. The green and white swapped out quarterbacks, signing Will Levis and dumping Bailey Zappe.
The war of attrition has started for the Jets. No NFL team is safe. This is a violent sport. My former longtime radio host Bud Poliquin once told me that the NFL is a game that eats its young. He couldn’t be more accurate.
Some say the best team wins the Super Bowl each year. Others say the healthiest team that survives the season does. Right now the Jets are going through it.
Jets Lose TE Mason Taylor to New Injury Before Lions Game