Every New York Jets rookie is going to develop differently. Some will benefit from every rep during organized team activities. Some see the light bulb come on at mandatory minicamp. Others take mental reps due to missing valuable practice time as they battle back from injuries.
With tight end Kenyon Sadiq, it simply delays the inevitable. Nothing that has happened since the end of April has changed the Jets’ long-term vision.
The former Oregon Ducks standout missed spring practices while recovering from hernia surgery. Tight end Mason Taylor failed to take advantage of the extra reps he gained in practice during Sadiq’s absence.
As a result, the expectations for the rookie first-round draftee didn’t shift much. If anything, it has become even clearer what offensive coordinator Frank Reich hopes to accomplish once the rookie returns to full strength.
Kenyon Sadiq isn’t your typical tight end
The NFL and some of its players have gradually redefined the tight end position. Once viewed primarily as extra offensive linemen who occasionally caught passes, today’s best receiving tight ends stress defenses in space.
Today’s tight ends are creating mismatches against linebackers and safeties while forcing coordinators to rethink personnel packages. That’s exactly why the Jets selected Sadiq in the first round. Simply put, he’s a wide receiver in a tight end’s body, one who could be staring at postseason honors once his rookie season concludes.
ESPN recently shared its updates on every first-rounder from this past April. Rich Cimini handled the heavy lifting for New York. He stated that Reich already envisions a role for his new tight end.
“(Kenyon Sadiq is) expected to be ready for training camp… OC Frank Reich has a plan for Sadiq, whom he envisions as a mismatch because of his speed and explosiveness.”
Whether he’s aligned in-line, detached from the formation, or working from the slot, the expectation is clear. The Jets want the ball in his hands. He could easily rob Mason Taylor of playing time and unseat the second-year star as an eventual starter.
Jets training camp becomes even more important
Now, don’t hear what hasn’t been said or read what hasn’t been written. Sadiq isn’t so good that he can afford to miss practice as he continues to acclimatize to the professional level. Missing spring practices wasn’t ideal. Timing with quarterbacks isn’t built overnight.
Learning an NFL offense always becomes easier through repetition. Sadiq will have some catching up to do once veterans report for training camp. Fortunately, the Jets anticipated this situation long before draft night. They were aware of the injury during the evaluation process and selected him anyway, believing his long-term upside far outweighed a few missed weeks of practice.
That’s why there shouldn’t be much concern. The spring may have delayed Sadiq’s introduction to Jets fans, but it hasn’t altered the organization’s expectations. If he returns healthy, he’ll still have every opportunity to become one of the most dangerous matchup problems in New York’s offense.
Training camp will simply determine how quickly those expectations become reality. The Jets didn’t spend a first-round pick on Kenyon Sadiq because they believed he could become just another serviceable tight end.
They drafted him because they envision a player capable of changing the geometry of a defense every time he steps onto the field. A few missed practices won’t change that. If anything, they’ll only make his long-awaited debut that much more anticipated.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets already have an exciting vision for rookie Kenyon Sadiq
