The Jets’ two days of joint work with the Buccaneers offered a pretty clear read on a few key battles, and the biggest winner might also be the most obvious one. David Bailey kept flashing in Tampa Bay’s backfield, Geno Smith had a rougher time than expected, and the safety competition took on a much sharper shape heading into Friday night’s preseason opener.
Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, looked like a player who is already forcing his way into the center of the conversation. He was the loudest name from Tuesday and Wednesday, overwhelming Buccaneers blockers with a burst and twitch that kept showing up on the practice field. Reporters on site said he was constantly in the backfield, and Turn on the Jets podcast host Will Parkinson even said Bailey "might be the best player on the field."
That kind of praise comes with obvious stock movement attached. Bailey didn’t just hold serve; he made himself hard to ignore.
Smith, on the other hand, didn’t carry that same momentum into the joint sessions. There was real buzz around him after an electric start to camp, and the matchup looked favorable against a Tampa Bay secondary made up of several young players fighting for jobs.
But the Jets quarterback didn’t take advantage of the setup on Tuesday, looking more like the player who appeared for the Las Vegas Raiders throughout the 2025 season, then only making slight progress on Wednesday. The hope now is that he can settle in during limited action Friday night.
The clearest internal battle seems to be at safety, where Dane Belton has started to separate himself in a crowded race. Andre Cisco and 2025 draft pick Malachi Moore are still in the mix, but Belton kept making plays throughout the joint practices and drew strong notice from The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, who said the former New York Giants draft pick was "all over the field making plays" on Tuesday and is "clearly the Jets' best option for No. 2 safety." Friday should give a better hint about how the Jets view the pecking order, especially with who gets on the field first.
Cisco, meanwhile, is trending in the opposite direction. The veteran entered camp as the incumbent starter alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick, but Belton’s rise has only made Cisco’s struggles stand out more.
He gave up multiple touchdowns across the two days, and the sense around the competition is that he is slipping into reserve territory. Moore could still push for the primary backup role, but Cisco’s grip on a meaningful spot looks shakier by the day.
At tight end, Mason Taylor has quietly taken on a bigger job with Kenyon Sadiq out for the rest of camp while rehabbing from a setback tied to his hernia surgery. Taylor has become the de facto No. 1 option at the position, and while he isn’t being asked to be the same kind of dynamic playmaker Sadiq is projected to be, he has been building momentum. Sports Illustrated’s Nick Faria noted that Taylor is improving week by week and starting to look like the breakout candidate Aaron Glenn identified earlier in the offseason.
In Other News...
Jets Joint Work Is Exposing Early Concerns Fans Cant Ignore
The Jets got a fresh look at themselves this week in joint work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the early returns were the kind that usually send a fan base into camp mode: curious, encouraged in spots, and still plenty uneasy in others. Mixed outings from players such as Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik, Armand Membou and David Bailey gave the sessions a little of everything, while the broader football conversation also had an unexpected Jets tie-in with ESPNs recent personnel cuts, which included former tackle Damien Woody.
There was also a more sobering note around the roster as the team confirmed cornerback QwanTez Stiggers is in concussion protocol after collapsing on the sideline, a reminder that the grind of August can turn serious in a hurry. In the same health update, DAngelo Ponds is expected to begin doing some work next week, leaving the Jets with a few more moving parts to sort through as they keep evaluating depth and availability. [Read more 🡒]
Breece Halls Minkah Fitzpatrick Reaction Says A Lot About These Jets
The Jets spent the offseason trying to harden their secondary with the addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, and even before the regular season gets rolling, the move already seems to be resonating in the locker room. Breece Halls social media reaction to the trade was a simple reminder of what Fitzpatrick brings to New York: established production, a veteran reputation and the kind of rsum younger players notice right away.
Fitzpatrick has already acknowledged that dynamic, saying at his introductory press conference that younger players are looking up to him. For the Jets, that matters as much as the on-field fit. They are counting on his experience to lift a defense that wants more stability and bigger plays, and Halls reaction offered an early glimpse of how quickly Fitzpatricks presence can shape the culture around the team. [Read more 🡒]