Andrew Buller-Russ
Heading into the offseason, the New York Jets felt pressure to make changes after a 3-14 season. Unlike many of the other teams that missed the playoffs, the Jets didn’t change head coaches. Despite a horrid first season on the job, Aaron Glenn will get another chance to prove he was the right hire.
While there were a lot of growing pains in 2025, the Jets did set themselves up to come away with multiple potential impact players in the 2026 NFL Draft. As a result of trades and a lot of losing, the Jets came away with four selections in the top 50 picks. But none have drawn more fanfare or intrigue than edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick in the first round.
Bailey hasn’t had a chance to put full pads on yet, but the early returns have been positive for the 22-year-old.
David Bailey’s Quickness Showing Up Early in Jets Camp
Recently, ESPN’s Jets insider Rich Cimini highlighted Bailey for multiple reasons, specifically noting how evident his burst is off the line of scrimmage. Yet, Cimini was also quick to point out that the rookie is far from a finished product; he has areas to work on too.
“Bailey’s first-step quickness jumps out even to the casual observer. He still needs to work on his run defense and learn how to win with power in his pass rush, but he will have a major role.”
ESPN’s Rich Cimini on David Bailey
Bailey’s teammate, offensive tackle Olu Fashanu said, “He’s meant to be an edge rusher.” Fashanu was the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and has started 24 of his 32 appearances with the Jets.
The athletic Bailey was expected to have an explosive first step in the NFL, just as he displayed at Texas Tech. As Cimini alluded to, the bigger question will be how impactful he can be on run defense too. Yet, if he’s capable of being great as a pass-rusher, Bailey’s potential weaknesses will be more forgivable.
Related: One NFL Trade All 32 Teams Could Make Before 2026 Season Starts
