The early noise around David Bailey has started to fade, and now one of the league’s more respected defensive minds is adding to the buzz.
After drawing heat in the opening weeks of his NFL career, Bailey answered in a big way in Week 5, piling up three sacks against the Cleveland Browns. That kind of splash game has shifted the conversation, and it’s also caught the attention of Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel didn’t hold back when asked about Bailey, saying the young Jets defender has the kind of tools that can tilt a game.
“He's fast, explosive, instinctive. He can bend, got a really good get off and is able to win at the top and corner.
He uses his get off, so just like every week, we'll have to be very conscious of the front. They do a nice job interior-wise.
They're big, they're physical.
“Then on the edges, they can create some havoc. I think when they blitz, they have a really good blitz demeanor, whether it's [Jamien] Sherwood, Demario Davis or [Jarvis] Brownlee. They've been able to just create disruption when they blitz,” Vrabel said, per the Patriots.
That kind of praise matters, especially for a young player who was under the microscope so quickly in New York. Bailey’s rough start led to plenty of frustration, but Week 5 offered a clear step forward and a reminder of why there’s so much hope around him.
The bigger picture for the Jets is just as notable. This isn’t the same kind of defense New York has rolled out in past years. The unit still has room to grow, but it’s loaded with talent, and Bailey is right in the middle of that conversation.
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Browns return comes after the Patriots managed to sharpen their offense in recent games without him, which only raises the intrigue around how theyll look with another key piece available. For a Jets defense trying to sort through a divisional test, the prospect of facing a healthier New England attack adds one more layer to a game that already had no shortage of pressure attached. [Read more 🡒]