David Bailey knows whats on his shoulder with Jets hes ready to seize that opportunity

David Bailey isn’t a typical rookie. Not when he was picked second overall by the Jets in last year’s draft, with the franchise looking for the edge rusher to be an anchor on the defense.  Text with Brian Costello all season as he brings Sports+ subscribers the latest Jets intel from on the field and off.But there’s a mixed history when it comes to players selected at that spot, as the Jets know all too well. In 2022, for instance, the Lions drafted Aidan Hutchinson second overall and he has been a monster in Detroit when healthy. The year prior, the Jets had the No.

2 pick and went with Zach Wilson.And we all know how that turned out. So when Bailey takes the field at MetLife Stadium on Sunday for his first regular-season home game against the Packers, he’s aware of what’s on his shoulders. And it’s why he’s displayed a work ethic that Aaron Glenn praised Friday. “What he’s doing in between [games], talking about during the week, it’s giving him a good opportunity,’’ Glenn said.

“He has everything you want from a young player when it comes to recovery, studying, staying in the weight room [and] nutrition.He’s doing all those things the way you want a young guy to do it — even more, he’s like a vet when it comes to that.” Bailey said that’s by design. “That’s an important part of my game,’’ Bailey said after the team practiced Friday.

“Being able to be selected where I was and having this opportunity to play in the league and with these guys, I have to take advantage of it.That comes with me doing whatever I can to look to older guys and their work ethic and how they approach the game.” Against the Titans in his NFL debut in Week 1, Bailey was credited with six pressures, as well as a sack when he ran Cam Ward out of bounds. Still, there was no game-changing play from Bailey in a victory the Jets controlled. “It was exciting to be out there for my first game, get my feet wet and get acclimated to t...