Who Should I Start? AJ Barner or Mason Taylor

Sunday, January 5, 8:18 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner scored his fourth touchdown of the season in a Week 18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The rookie out of Michigan has proven to be a solid contributor all season. He will finish the year with 245 yards on 30 receptions in addition to the touchdowns. Barner has a chance to become a more integral part of Seattle's offense in 2025. He has already displayed solid pass-catching chops and solid run after catch ability this season. He also started several games in place of tight end Noah Fant this season. He displayed that he has what it takes to be a potential starting tight end in this league. Barner is worth monitoring throughout the offseason to see what kind of buzz he generates in camp. He is also worth a roster spot in dynasty should he have a full second-year breakout. The future looks like it could be bright for this kid.

Friday, July 18, 10:58 AM

The New York Jets and tight end Mason Taylor have agreed to terms on a four-year rookie contract, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. The Jets drafted Taylor out of LSU in the second round of the 2025 draft, and he appears to be the favorite to start at tight end as a rookie. In his final college season at LSU, Taylor had 55 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns. Previous reporting has indicated that the Jets expect him to contribute to the offense immediately, and there's certainly an opportunity for pass-catchers behind star wide receiver Garrett Wilson to emerge. New York's other options at tight end entering camp are Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt, and Zack Kuntz. Now that he's under contract with the team, Taylor will have a full training camp to build chemistry with Jets quarterback Justin Fields.