New York Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich acknowledged that rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq's limited participation in training camp will affect his early-season usage. Sadiq, the Jets' No. 16 pick in the April NFL draft, has been sidelined since the first three practices of camp due to a setback from a spring hernia operation.
"There’s no doubt we’ll scale it back. We’ll have to work him in slowly," Reich stated Tuesday. "Can’t rush it, as much as we would like to. The good thing is he’s very smart and we’ve said it all before. He’ll be as ready as you can be, but there’s nothing like practice."
What was initially termed a "maintenance" day on August 3 for Sadiq turned out to be a more significant issue. Coach Aaron Glenn later described it as a "little setback." Sadiq was observed working with trainers on the side on Tuesday.
Despite the delayed start, the Jets still anticipate Sadiq becoming a key contributor to the offense. Last season at Oregon, the 6-foot-3, 241-pound tight end recorded 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns.
In other team news, the preseason kicking competition has concluded, with Jason Sanders winning the job over Cade York. Special teams coordinator Chris Banjo confirmed that York was waived later in the day. Sanders, who missed the entire 2025 season and was previously cut by the Giants, brings valuable experience, having kicked in the AFC East division from 2018-2024 as a member of the Miami Dolphins. In 2024, he made 37 of 41 field goal attempts.
"We feel really, really good about what Jason is and where we are with him right now," Banjo said. "The experience he’s kinda had in our division, kicking in our division."
With NFL rosters needing to be finalized at 53 players by Sunday, many kickers will become available. The Jets could potentially explore other options, but for the moment, the starting role belongs to the 30-year-old Sanders, who has recovered from a hip injury that sidelined him for the 2025 season.
"You look at his pedigree, what he’s been able to do in big moments — like I said, in our division," Banjo added. "You get to be around that kinda all offseason, throughout training camp, throughout this evaluation process, it starts to build more confidence and more conviction for who he is as a player."
