Jelani Woods didn’t need long to make himself relevant again at Jets camp, and Kenyon Sadiq’s latest setback may have sped up the process.
Aaron Glenn said Tuesday that the rookie tight end will be “out a bit” after suffering a setback following offseason sports hernia surgery. The Jets still sound hopeful that Sadiq, the No. 16 pick in April, will be ready for Week 1 against Robert Saleh and the Titans.
That leaves New York’s tight end room in a different spot than it looked a week ago. Mason Taylor and Jeremy Ruckert are still the main names in the plan, but Woods has pushed himself into the conversation fast.
The veteran tight end, who arrived on a waiver claim last summer and re-signed on a one-year deal in March, has been one of the more noticeable players in camp over the past week. He’s already become a favorite target for Geno Smith and Cade Klubnik, and on Monday he had three catches and led Jets players in targets, according to the team’s official website.
“There’s a number of things that you can envision him doing for us,” Glenn told reporters. “You can split him out and let him go one-on-one with a safety [or] a linebacker, and I’m expecting him to win that matchup.”
That kind of usage fits Woods well, and it also fits the coach he knows best. Frank Reich and Woods overlapped in Indianapolis during Woods’ rookie season in 2022, when he settled into the offense quickly and finished with 25 catches for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
The rest of Woods’ Colts tenure was wrecked by injuries. Hamstring issues cost him the 2023 season, toe surgery wiped out all of 2024, and Indianapolis released him last August. He later appeared in four games for the Jets, with his lone catch going for 4 yards in the Week 17 loss to New England.
Now he’s at least making a case to stick around beyond camp. Taylor is entering the second year of his rookie contract, and the Jets extended Ruckert last December, so neither looks in danger of missing the Week 1 roster. But Sadiq’s absence creates more room for Woods to keep carving out snaps and maybe earn a practice squad spot if he keeps building on this start.
Reich’s comfort with Woods matters, and so does his preference for multi-tight-end looks. Sadiq’s setback may also give Woods more chances in preseason action, which could help him keep building chemistry with Klubnik, the fourth-round rookie from Clemson.
For Darren Mougey, it’s a reminder that not every injury has to send a roster into panic mode. Even with a first-round pick sidelined, the Jets have enough pieces in place to keep moving.
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