Per Rich Cimini of ESPN, Bailey has traits that put Von Miller as a comparison. “He patterns his game after Von Miller, a former second overall pick by the Denver Broncos who entered the league in 2011 with the same height (6-foot-3), weight (250) and 10-yard split (1.62) as Bailey.“

Also, Bailey’s style and fast get-off reminisce of a young Von Miller. Miller is ninth on the all-time sack list with 138.5 and also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Super Bowl MVP. Bailey recently suffered an ankle injury, but head coach Aaron Glenn is calm about it.

Bailey’s mindset is pure football

The Jets know they have a football guy through and through with David Bailey. “You’re the No. 2 pick and there are high expectations from the fans and also from teammates and staff and everything. I try not to let that get to me,” Bailey said.

Then, the pass rusher stated what’s his drive. “I play football for a lot of reasons — I could go on and on why I love football, but getting a sack, it’s literally probably the best feeling it the world. It’s like nothing else.”

The Jets need Bailey to be unstoppable

The Jets had just one player over four sacks last season. Hence, drafting Bailey was a necessity. Now, it’s imperative for them to actually see Bailey dominating like they think he can.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, David Bailey suffered an ankle injury, but Aaron Glenn was clear and short on his answer regarding the status of the pass-rusher. “He’ll be fine,” said Glenn. This adds to Kenyon Sadiq suffering an injury setback.

Apparently, the injury happened after Bailey went to the ground on a third-down pass rush. Per Cimini, Bailey walked gingerly off the field with a trainer by his side. Still, it seems like there is no real concern for the Jets.

Bailey is poised to be a star for the NY Jets

David Bailey is heavily poised to be a breakout star for the New York Jets. As the No. 2 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Texas Tech, the rookie edge rusher enters the league with immense expectations and is already a frontrunner for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) award.

Last season, Will McDonald was the New York Jets leader in sacks with just eight. Bailey is bound to be a double-digit sacks guy from the start. Besides McDonald, no other player had more than four sacks. Hence, he is a very welcomed addition.

NY Jets defensive lineup for 2026 NFL season

The New York Jets could get a new-look defense with improved players. Aaron Glenn is a defensive mind after all. He is also on the hot seat, so he either delivers or he is likely to be fired. This is how they are poised to line up:

• DE – David Onyemata
• NT – T’Vondre Sweat
• DT – Harrison Phillips
• LOLB – David Bailey
• WLB – Jamien Sherwood
• MLB – Demario Davis
• ROLB – Jospeh Ossai
• CB – Nahshon Wright
• SS – Minkah Fitzpatrick
• FS – Andre Cisco
• CB – Brandon Stephens / D’Angelo Ponds

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Aaron Glenn revealed it’s an injury setback from the offseason hernia surgery he had. Glenn also confirmed Sadiq will miss some time, but he is still confident that the rookie tight end will be ready for the regular-season opener.

Glenn stated previously that Sadiq’s role on the Jets would be a prominent one. After all, the Jets drafted him 16th overall and based on talent alone, Sadiq could be a difference-maker for this offense. Now, it’s time to reassess and recover properly.

What was Sadiq’s hernia surgery about?

Sadiq had a lingering groin hernia issue. Hence, in May he underwent a minor procedure to get it fixed. He originally dealt with this issue prior to the 2025 college football season. The Jets were also aware of this before they drafted him.

While an exact timetable wasn’t given, the fact is Sadiq should recover for Week 1, where the Jets play former head coach Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

Who can take Sadiq’s spot in the meantime?

Sophomore Mason Taylor will have plenty of reps at tight end. Taylor was a second-round pick last season and he was one of the few shining pieces for the Jets. Still, the team couldn’t resist the temptation to draft Sadiq.

Jeremy Ruckert, Jelani Woods and Chase Curtis are all a bit behind on the depth chart, with Ruckert being the one able to get some snaps, especially as a blocker, something that he excels at.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported that the Jets are signing Cam Camper to their 90-man roster. This came at a cost, as Gee Scott, who got injured last Thursday, was waived with an injury designation.

Camper played for Orlando in the UFL this spring. He finished the season with 23 receptions for 340 yards and a total of three touchdowns. Camper signed with the Jaguars after going undrafted out of Boise State last year. He was part of the final cuts in Jacksonville and now could end up being a new weapon for Geno Smith.

Cam Camper’s WR profile

Camper stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 198 pounds. He was born on August 21, 2001. He started at Trinity Valley Community College, played three seasons at Indiana (2022–2023), and transferred to Boise State for the 2024 season. Camper earned All-Mountain West honors at Boise State.

He is a large, imposing target who can shield defenders from the ball. However, he has major durability flags, highlighted by a significant torn ACL during his stint at Indiana which interrupted his momentum. Also, his top speed is not exactly a blazing one.

Camper still has to fight for a spot on the final 53-man roster

Being signed doesn’t mean Camper will be a part of the New York Jets when the season begins. However, it’s a first step. Now, he must impress to make it into the final 53-man roster to start the season.

The Jets will have eight WRs fighting to get into the final roster, as Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., and Tim Patrick are already pretty much a guarantee to be on the roster.

• Cam Camper
• Isaiah Williams
• Arian Smith
• Jamaal Pritchett
• Malik McClain
• DT Sheffield
• Caullin Lacy
• Quincy Skinner Jr.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported that Glenn praised the rookie’s versatility and said Sadiq will be “a huge weapon” for the Jets offense. However, he will have to compete as the tight end room on the Jets has talent.

Sadiq still has plenty of hype around him, after all, he was the 16th overall pick in the NFL Draft. But, the Jets found a very serviceable tight end in second-rounder Mason Taylor last season. Taylor and Sadiq’s skill sets are very different, but both should see plenty of snaps.

Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq’s difference in skill sets

Taylor is more of a reliable blocker than Sadiq while also being a pure inline tight end. Taylor had 44 catches for 369 yards and one touchdown. Even though the numbers aren’t amazing, context matters. The Jets passing offense was dead last in the NFL last year.

As for Sadiq, he is a big presence in the slot position and he is way more explosive, fast, and prolific route-runner. As a receiver, Sadiq has a way higher ceiling than Taylor. In the blocking department, he is still very raw.

The NY Jets will have a new-look offense

The Jets focused heavily on revamping the offense during the offseason. A new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator in Frank Reich and plenty of new weapons have arrived at the Meadowlands. This is how the offense will look:

• QB – Geno Smith
• RB – Breece Hall
• WR – Garrett Wilson
• WR – Omar Cooper Jr.
• TE – Kenyon Sadiq/Mason Taylor

“John Harbaugh just said that Jason Sanders’ kicking style wasn’t a ‘perfect fit’ for the winds out here,” New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy stated on X.

As Dunleavy noted, Harbaugh and New York’s explanation for why Sanders wasn’t a good fit is one that was immediately put into question. Are the winds blowing through the Giants‘ facilities in East Rutherford any different than the gusts at Florham Park, the Jets‘ home? A 40-minute drive separates the two New York teams’ training grounds, and it’s hard to imagine the climatic conditions can be any different.

Sanders could prove Giants wrong

If Sanders struggles to establish himself with the Jets, however, then Harbaugh and the Giants may be proven right. If not, and on the contrary, Sanders goes on to make Gang Green’s 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season and has a strong year while the G-Men’s kicking crew struggles (like last year), then it could be the first swing and a miss on Harbaugh’s strike count in the Big Apple.

Regardless, Harbaugh has been around special teams his entire coaching career. At the very least, he deserves the benefit of the doubt. If there’s something about Sanders’ kicking style that bugs him in the beautiful days of spring, those concerns would only grow bigger deep into the season in the tundra-like environment that MetLife Stadium will become.

Moreover, the Jets have been on the wrong end of wagers way too many times not to imagine they could make a mistake again. If it comes down to it, the odds will favor the Giants to get the decision right and the Jets to slip up.

Kicking competitions on Giants and Jets

Cutting Sanders is only one step along the way for the G-Men. Big Blue has two young kickers competing for the starting job, Dominic Zvada and Ben Sauls. Based on the reports out of their first day of competition, it’s safe to say who is leading the race.

As reported by Giants insiders, Zvada went 13-for-13 on field-goal attempts during the team’s practice on Tuesday, whereas Sauls struggled, connecting on four of 10 on Wednesday. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but Sauls must pick up the pace if he wants to come away with the job.

As for the Jets, the signing of Sanders came hand in hand with the release of Younghoe Koo, also a former New York Giant. As it stands, Aaron Glenn’s team is setting up a head-to-head competition between Cade York and Jason Sanders.

“Wilson may not be retiring, but at least a pause on his playing career,” Ian Rapoport reported on his X account.

If Wilson indeed goes through with his new job opportunity, he’d likely sit out for the entire 2026 NFL season. However, the door will remain open for him to return if he feels like it and an opening presents itself around the league.

It’s happened before

It would be surprising, but not unprecedented. The NFL has seen players take a year off and return to action before, and Wilson could be another example to join that list. Last season, for example, quarterback Philip Rivers came out of retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts amid a QB injury crisis during the regular season.

For Wilson, if he wants to step on the gridiron again, he would have to quit the job he recently accepted at CBS Sports. It goes against NFL rules and policy for members of an NFL organization to be part of game-day coverage for television networks.

Wilson’s new job on TV

As first reported by Ryan Glasspiegel, Wilson is taking a job with CBS Sports over an offer from the Jets. Wilson will be replacing Matt Ryan, who left the slot vacant to become president of football for the Atlanta Falcons, on CBS’ NFL Today pregame show on Sundays.

Jets QB depth chart

As for the Jets, they are missing out on the Super Bowl XLVIII champion, but they have already named Geno Smith their starting quarterback for the 2026 NFL season. Moreover, New York trusts that rookie Cade Klubnik can develop into an important player while learning behind Geno.

The Jets’ QB depth chart is rounded out by Bailey Zappe, who is currently considered the backup quarterback, and Brady Cook, who is the early frontrunner to be the odd man out by the time New York announces its 53-man roster.

Per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Wilson said that his knee is feeling great during practice. That is absolutely great news for the Jets, as Wilson is the undoubted, undisputed WR1 of the team.

Wilson has four seasons in the NFL, and in the first three of them, he got more than 1,000 yards. This means that, when healthy, he is an unstoppable receiver regardless of who’s throwing the football to him.

NY Jets revamped WR depth chart for 2026 NFL season

Wilson is the WR1 of the team. However, the Jets made it a theme to improve the wide receiver department. The Jets drafted wideout Omar Cooper Jr. and brought Tim Patrick. They also have Adonai Mitchell since last year.

Other wideouts on the roster are Arian Smith, Isaiah Williams, Jamaal Pritchett, Quentin Skinner, and undrafted free agents Malik McClain, Caullin Lacy, and DT Sheffield. The first four wideouts are good ones for the Jets.

Geno Smith has developed good chemistry with Wilson

Wilson also spoke recently on new teammate and starting quarterback of the team, Geno Smith. Wilson said Smith throws a very “friendly ball.“ Chemistry between quarterback and wideout is key for an offense to work.

Hence, having Wilson and Smith creating that chemistry right from the OTAs is spectacular news for a team in desperate need for success. Whether it will all work out for the Jets remains to be seen, but there are good early signs at least.

In Week 4 of last season, Braelon Allen suffered a pretty serious knee injury. It cost him the rest of the season, but now that he is back, the Jets finally have their RB2 of the team in rock-solid status.

In his rookie season in 2024, which his only full season, he racked up 92 rushes for 334 yards and two touchdowns. He stands behind Breece Hall on the Jets RB depth chart, which makes this room a very strong one.

Braelon Allen’s skill set is very useful for the NY Jets

Allen is a big-sized running back. A 6’1″, 240 lbs-back, Allen is great for short-yardage dominance. That is very helpful for third and fourth downs. His physicality helps the team move the chains and gain yards after initial contact.

He also brings a play relief to the team. His big size and ability to absorb contact make possible to rest Breece Hall for a couple of series and still give the Jets a physical, strong running game.

Will the NY Jets have a good running game in 2026?

The fact that the Jets have a great couple of running backs should mean that the Jets are among the best rushing games. However, they are constantly behind on the scoreboard, so they don’t usually run as much.

New offensive coordinator Frank Reich is highly regarded for designing and implementing productive running games. Throughout his coaching career, he has consistently adapted his ground attacks to suit his personnel.

Per head coach Aaron Glenn, Sadiq is expected to be fully fit for training camp, so it’s not like he is in jeopardy to miss any time in his rookie season. Glenn also said the Jets knew Sadiq had to undergo this procedure begore the NFL Draft.

Sadiq was one of three first-round picks the Jets had in 2026. He got picked at 16th overall, while linebacker David Bailey was the second overall pick, and wideout Omar Cooper Jr. was selected at No.30.

Sadiq is expected to play a major role on NY Jets offense

As a first-round pick and a versatile pass-catching threat, Sadiq is expected to get many looks. He will be utilized to stretch the field, create mismatches, and provide a much-needed explosive element.

He is a freak tight end, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, Sadiq could beat pretty much any linebacker in coverage. New Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich should be lining Sadiq up in the slot, inline, and even out of the backfield if he wants to get really creative. Sadiq is an X-Factor.

NY Jets could use a lot of 12-personnel

The Jets could see 12-personnel formations be a daily thing for them. In fact, it could be a focal point of the offense. Sadiq is the explosive tight end, while second-year Mason Taylor is a safe-handed target.

Also, 12-personnel could open up the running game and the Jets have a great blocking TE in Jeremy Ruckert too. Hence, if Reich is clever, he could make the Jets a tight-end-heavy offense without sacrificing the wideouts or the running game.

According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets want to see what Klubnik can do before adding a more established veteran backup. Wilson is considered the top target for New York should they acquire another seasoned signal-caller ahead of the 2026 NFL campaign.

As it stands, however, whether Wilson is actually interested in playing again next season remains uncertain. Wilson has two offers on the table, and they could not be any more different. Per NBC, Wilson is torn between joining the Jets and taking a television job at CBS.

Wilson’s numbers in 2025

Coming off a concerning campaign with the Giants last season, the Jets should know exactly what to expect from Wilson should he sign with the club in Florham Park. In 2025, Wilson was named the starting quarterback for the G-Men, but lasted only three weeks in that role.

He did put on a vintage performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2’s 40-37 overtime loss, including a miraculous moon ball that took fans all across the league back in time. However, his performances in both the opening week and Week 3 led to the Giants starting Jaxson Dart, and the quarterback debate was over.

Aside from a couple of snaps here and there, Wilson virtually did not see the field again. If he were to join the Jets, it could signal they have concerns about heading into the season with Klubnik as the backup quarterback to Geno Smith. Perhaps having Wilson in that role is the safer option.

Klubnik looked good so far

Still, the Clemson alum has shown flashes during the offseason, and New York may be just shy of having all its potential doubts cleared. The Jets’ fourth-round pick (110th overall) impressed during rookie camp, but it remains to be seen if he can stand out when more experienced players join practices.

Per Sports Illustrated, the Jets’ organized team activities (OTAs) will take place on May 27-29, June 1-2, 4, and 8-11. Thus, if a decision is to be made on Wilson, it would most likely occur after June 11. By then, the Jets should have a clear view of where Klubnik stands and where he can take them.