‘Man they really stepped up’ – New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn highlights key position group after loss to the Lions
Rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq posted over 100 yards in his third career game, and Jeremy Ruckert found the end zone as the Jets’ tight end room proved it can carry this offense.
The New York Jets lost 31-24 to the Detroit Lions, but the tight end room made a statement. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn summed it up after the game: “Man, those tight ends, they really stepped up.”
With rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and A.D. Mitchell both out for this game, the Jets needed someone to fill the void. Rookie Kenyon Sadiq and veteran Jeremy Ruckert answered the call, and both reached the end zone against Detroit. The two have helped to open up this Jets offense early on in 2026.
Kenyon Sadiq is proving he was worth the 1st-round pick
Sadiq, the consensus No. 1 tight end prospect in his draft class, posted over 100 yards in just his third career NFL game. That is a big deal.
I think this kid has the potential to be a legitimate star in this league. We saw him take an end-around for a touchdown in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Against Detroit, he laid out on a deep seam route for a big touchdown grab. The versatility is already showing up on tape, and the Jets are only scratching the surface of what Sadiq can do.
He can catch the football, block and Sadiq can line up in the backfield. The Jets drafted him in the first round for exactly this kind of production, and he’s delivering on that investment faster than most expected. Health is the one factor that could hold him back as he has been dealing with injury so far. When Sadiq is out there, he might be one of the best players on the field.
Jeremy Ruckert contributed as well, finding the end zone in the red zone and proving to be a reliable target for quarterback Geno Smith. Between the two of them, and good play from Mason Taylor, the tight end room carried this offense when the wide receiver corps was shorthanded.
The Jets offense is starting to unlock
Look, the Jets still lost this game, and nobody is celebrating a 31-24 defeat. But through the first three weeks, this offense has looked pretty good. Garrett Wilson hauled in over 100 yards and a touchdown from his wide receiver spot, and the tight ends gave Geno Smith options all over the field.
Last week’s performance against the Green Bay Packers was the low point, but that came in a bad weather game at MetLife Stadium. I’m not reading too much into it.
Offensive coordinator Frank Reich loves being able to deploy tight ends in multiple roles, and Aaron Glenn wants the Jets to lean into that personnel grouping. So far, it’s paying off. The ability to run the ball through these guys, throw to them on seam routes, and use them in the red zone gives this offense a dimension that was missing in previous seasons.
What this means going forward
The Jets tight end room is the key to this offense. That might sound like an overstatement, but think about what Sadiq and Ruckert did without Cooper and Mitchell in the lineup. They didn’t just fill in. They thrived.
If this production continues once the wide receivers get healthy, the Jets are going to be a tough offense to defend. I think Kenyon Sadiq is going to be a problem for defensive coordinators all season long, and the New York Jets’ investment in this tight end group is already looking like a smart one.
