New York Jets rookie David Bailey is heading into training camp with a real shot to carve out a starting role, and at minimum, he looks lined up for meaningful snaps right away.
That’s the read from NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, who pointed to Bailey as a player worth watching in the Jets’ edge group. Knox said Bailey has the highest ceiling in a room that also includes Will McDonald IV, Joseph Ossai, and Kingsley Enagbare.
"Bailey has the most upside, by far, of an edge group that also includes Will McDonald IV, Joseph Ossai, and Kingsley Enagbare," Knox wrote. "If Bailey doesn't start, he should still see a prominent role."
The buzz around Bailey is easy to understand. At Texas Tech in 2025, he piled up 19.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks, production that has him looking like a potential long-term piece for New York.
Bailey also made it clear he knows exactly what part of the game fires him up most. When asked about the feeling of getting to the quarterback, he didn’t hesitate.
"Oh, man, I'm so glad you asked me about that feeling," Bailey said. "That feeling, it's like no other.. ...
I have a lot of motivations for why I play the game and that's one of them, that feeling when you get a sack and the crowd is, you know, on your side, especially during a home game. But regardless home or away, it's one of the best feelings."
The Jets are coming off a 3-14 season in Year 1 of the Aaron Glenn era, a year that included some brutal history. They became the first team in NFL history to not record a defensive interception and lose five straight games by 23 or more points within a single season.
Glenn is set to handle defensive play-calling next season, leaving the obvious question hanging over camp: will that be enough to lift the defense?
For now, the focus is on Bailey, who sounds eager to get to work and absorb everything around him.
"It's surreal to me, man. It's a great experience.
It's an awesome opportunity," Bailey said. "I'm grateful to all the fans who came out here tonight.
I just want to be a sponge, soak up everything and make me the best player I can be to help this organization. I think they want to go in the right direction, and I'm just ready to work."
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Davenport sees enough to like in the offense and points to rookie David Bailey as a defensive piece worth watching, but the broader outlook remains uneasy for a team trying to climb out of the leagues basement. Smiths turnover history is part of the backdrop, and the Jets will have to prove the new mix can hold up once the games start to matter, because the early read from outside the building is that 2026 could still be a grind. [Read more 🡒]