FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) 鈥� is already making his presence felt only three training camp practices into his NFL career.
Just ask the edge rusher’s impressed teammates and coaches.
鈥淚 see him in the backfield all the time,鈥� defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said with a laugh Saturday. 鈥淚 mean, oh my gosh.鈥�
The out of Texas Tech in April is off to a fast start this summer. During the Jets’ second practice of camp on Thursday, he was credited with three 鈥渟acks鈥� 鈥� there’s no contact on quarterbacks, of course 鈥� with one during which he bull-rushed right tackle Armand Membou and buzzed past running back Breece Hall to get to Geno Smith.
鈥淥h, he鈥檚 gonna be phenomenal,鈥� defensive lineman Kingsley Enagbare gushed. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to have a long, long career. The sky鈥檚 the limit for that dude. He can literally do it all: He can stop the run, he can rush the passer.鈥�
That’s a talent-filled package the Jets fell in love with leading to the draft.
And Bailey understands that, along with the responsibility that comes with being such a high selection.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 necessarily say I feel pressure,鈥� Bailey said. “It鈥檚 in the back of your mind. Like, you know you鈥檙e the No. 2 pick, you know there鈥檚 high expectations just from the fans and also from teammates and the staff and everything. But I try to like not let that get to me. I try to say really nothing has changed, honestly.
鈥淟ike in terms of if I want to be the best, I’ve got certain things that I need to do.鈥�
On that list: getting a deep understanding of Aaron Glenn’s playbook on defense, studying videos, taking care of his body as a pro and watching other pass rushers he’s trying to emulate.
Bailey said Von Miller is the first player he thoroughly studied, especially since the 6-foot-3, 251-pound rookie has a similar physical makeup. But he has also focused on players such as Aidan Hutchinson and Myles Garrett.
鈥淚 realize that I have my own personal game,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 kind of like it鈥檚 a process in selecting what you think that you can add to your bag, but then also maybe make certain tweaks in terms of how you鈥檙e going to run it on the field.鈥�
Bailey was the highest-selected defensive player taken in the NFL draft in Jets history and considered by many the most pro-ready edge rusher. After transferring to Texas Tech, he had 14 1/2 sacks last season 鈥� his combined total in three seasons at Stanford 鈥� with 52 tackles, 19 1/2 tackles and three forced fumbles, all on strip sacks.
鈥淏ro, it’s the best feeling in the world,鈥� a smiling Bailey said of getting sacks.
With the Jets, Bailey is expected to be used as an outside linebacker in the base defense and at defensive end in other situations. And he has enough overall talent and athleticism to be moved around in pass rushing situations.
鈥淥bviously they selected me for my pass rushing ability, but also I just want to be able to bring a lot of energy to the team,鈥� he said. 鈥淏eing kind of a younger guy, man, I feel like it鈥檚 my responsibility to bring a lot of juice and to also rely on the understanding of the older guys and just being there and helping them in any way possible.鈥�
Bailey is already taking snaps with the starters, and more than holding his own. He wasn’t as disruptive during practice Saturday as he was Thursday, with Membou 鈥� the Jets’ first-round pick last year 鈥� mostly keeping him at bay.
鈥淗e’s been getting me better,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淎nd I hope I’ve been getting him better.鈥�
The Jets are off Sunday, but 鈥� the first session during which the players will wear full pads. That’ll be the next step in the team’s evaluation of Bailey, who’ll be able to show off the physical side of his game.
鈥淵eah, he鈥檚 everything that we expect him to be and it鈥檒l be real exciting once we get the pads on,鈥� Glenn said. “I think we all understand through these acclamation days, we鈥檙e still in shorts. But just to be able to see the energy and the speed and the quickness off the edge and the ability to hold a strong edge and the way that he wants to play the run game, it鈥檚 everything that I imagined from that player.鈥�
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