Jets Tight End Room Heating Up as New Additions Embrace Dual Threat Roles
The New York Jets are quietly building one of the NFL’s most intriguing tight end units heading into the 2025 season. With the departure of veteran Tyler Conklin, who amassed 170 receptions over the past three seasons before heading west to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Jets front office knew they had to reshape the position. Their response was swift, calculated, and filled with upside.
In March, the Jets made a quiet but meaningful move in free agency, signing Stone Smartt, a versatile 6-foot-4 tight end who had flashed promise with the Chargers. Undrafted in 2022, Smartt carved out a role primarily on special teams and as a backup, but his 2024 campaign saw him notch 16 receptions for 208 yards in 15 appearances. Jets General Manager Darren Mougey called Smartt “an athletic guy with some upside,” and early signs suggest the Jets may have found a diamond in the rough.
However, the real splash came in April, when the Jets used their second-round pick (No. 42 overall) to select Mason Taylor, the standout from LSU and son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Taylor arrived with a resume that turns heads — LSU’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns among tight ends, with 129 catches, 1,308 yards, and six scores across three years in Baton Rouge. Beyond the stats, what’s made him a hot topic at OTAs is something far less flashy: his blocking.
While fans and media tend to highlight highlight-reel catches, it’s the gritty work in the trenches that has earned Taylor praise from head coach Aaron Glenn.
“I think he’s been doing an outstanding job in that aspect,” Glenn said during OTA Week 3. “It’s not just the pass catching… it’s the blocking that really gets me going.”
Glenn emphasized that although it’s not yet a full-contact part of the offseason, Taylor is already showing mastery of leverage, positioning, and body control — elements critical to anchoring the edge in the run game. For a young tight end, especially one known primarily for his receiving prowess, that kind of early dedication to fundamentals has coaches excited.
Backing up Taylor and Smartt is Jeremy Ruckert, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound fourth-year pro from Ohio State who has been a steady presence, mainly as a blocking specialist. With just 35 receptions for 264 yards in his first three seasons, Ruckert’s numbers don’t leap off the page, but his potential has not gone unnoticed by the staff.
Coach Glenn sees untapped potential in the former Buckeye.
“That’s another player I think has improved quite a bit,” Glenn noted. “I’ve been stressing him hard throughout this camp because there’s a lot of meat on the bone with that player. He wants to be good.”
With multiple Ohio State alums already on the roster — including QB Justin Fields, WR Garrett Wilson, and C Josh Myers — Ruckert is in familiar company. But with increased reps and new expectations, this could be the year he elevates his profile from blocker to legitimate dual threat.
Adding depth and insight to the group is offensive line coach Steven Heiden, himself a former NFL blocking tight end. Heiden has been instrumental in emphasizing that modern tight ends must act as a “sixth offensive lineman” — a mentality this unit is embracing head-on.
The message across the board is clear: versatility is not optional. To thrive in the Jets’ evolving offense, tight ends must do more than just catch passes — they must hold their own at the line, extend plays, and become complete football players.
So as mandatory minicamp looms and the training camp spotlight begins to warm, don’t be surprised if the Jets’ tight ends emerge as a foundational strength. Whether it’s the veteran growth of Ruckert, the high-ceiling athleticism of Smartt, or the polished intensity of Taylor, this is no longer a forgotten position group.
With this much talent and competition, the tight end room in New York is no longer a footnote — it’s becoming a headline.
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