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Former Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq going through drills at the 2026 NFL Combine.
The New York Jets put pen to paper.
On Thursday, May 7, the team officially announced that they have signed rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq to his contract.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed on social media that it is a four-year deal for $22.3 million, fully guaranteed. There is also a fifth-year team option built into the deal.
Jets Staff Shares Sadiq Thoughts
“Sadiq was a player that, obviously, we studied, spent a lot of time on, and valued as an offensive weapon, and when he was there, it was really a no-brainer for us, just to add another weapon to the offense,” general manager Darren Mougey said post-draft via Jack Bell. “And Frank’s got a great vision for the player and how we can use him in multiple ways and get in 12-personnel [2 TEs on the field at the same time], and do different things and just use him as another weapon and make it tough on the defense.”
“He’s going to be able to, we’re going to be able to dictate as far as the defense is concerned on what are you going to play,” head Aaron Glenn said following the NFL draft via Jack Bell. “Are you going to be in base, are you going to be in nickel? And he brings that value to us. Man, there are so many positions that he can play for us that’s going to make us be able to open up the offense and Frank has a really, really good vision for this player. I’m looking forward to going against this player during training camp, so it’ll be fun.”
Gotta Set Fair Expectations
ESPN’s Rich Cimini called the Sadiq pick the “most fascinating” of any of the Jets’ selections.
“He is young to the position; he has only played it for three years, [and] he didn’t play it in high school at tight end. He had some drops last year; he had six drops at Oregon, which I think led all FBS tight ends. So he is a developing player; he is still not there yet. To me, the key in his development will be Frank Reich. Can you get him the ball on some quick screens, in the quick game, just get the ball into his hands and let him use his athletic gifts? If you use him as a traditional tight end, I think he is going to struggle a little bit because there is going to be some learning curve,” Cimini explained on the “Jets Collective” podcast.
The numbers from college won’t overwhelm you. Across his three seasons, he appeared in 42 games. Sadiq finished with 80 catches for 892 receiving yards, and he scored 11 touchdowns.
Sadiq Chooses Rookie Jersey Number
According to the Jets’ official team website, Sadiq has chosen jersey No. 16. Interestingly, he was the No. 16 overall pick in April’s draft, which could be a tip of the cap to his draft slot.
There have been some pretty notable and/or interesting players who have worn the No. 16 jersey in Jets franchise history:
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- Josh Cribbs
- Percy Harvin
- Terrelle Pryor
- Brad Smith
- Vinny Testaverde
This is a combination of big-name special team returners, former college stars, and fan favorites.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.