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David Bailey picks up right where he left off in Day 2 of Jets-Buccaneers joint practice

The dominance continues.
New York Jets edge rusher David Bailey
New York Jets edge rusher David Bailey | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The New York Jets seem to have added a monster to their ranks with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft this past April, as David Bailey has been nothing short of dominant throughout training camp and in two joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On Tuesday, Bailey was a force to be reckoned with, with Turn on the Jets podcast host Will Parkinson claiming he might have been "the best player on the field" that day for "either team."

Now, Tampa Bay's All-Pro caliber left tackle, Tristan Wirfs, has not been participating in these joint practices, but Bailey is still beating the guy across from him nonetheless, taking Luke Goedeke and Ben Chukwuma for a spin.

To start Wednesday's practice, Bailey picked up right where he left off, "destroying" Goedeke with a spin move in 1-on-1 drills, per The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt.

David Bailey continues dominating at New York Jets-Tampa Bay Buccaneers joint practice

Once 11-on-11 scrimmages began, Bailey once again continued to harass the Buccaneers' offensive line, according to Rosenblatt, getting after Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield faster than he could wind up to throw the football.

The pat after a successful pass rush rep has been a staple of Bailey throughout these joint practices, with a tap on the Bucs' right tackle's helmet starting a bit of a fight on Tuesday, as told by SNY's Connor Hughes.

Bailey clearly has a bit of an edge to his game, which is a good thing. It's something the Jets' defense desperately lacked in 2025, and it should only invigorate his teammates.

New York's premier offseason addition is off to a blazing start this summer, and it seems like you could already tab him as the team's best pass rusher, considering how much he's stood out compared to some of the other Jets' edges.

Will McDonald bounces back from down day in New York Jets joint practice

While Bailey's dominance made him stand out from the rest, it provided some cover for recent Jets first-round pick Will McDonald, who has had a relatively quiet summer.

With Joseph Ossai still out of practice, there was hope that McDonald could capitalize on extra reps and show he's a much more integral piece of the puzzle to the Jets' defense than initially anticipated.

There was little to report on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, McDonald has had a bit of a bounce-back. Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria shared a play from practice that credited the former Iowa State standout with a nice run stuff, something he has struggled with throughout his young career.

If both Bailey and McDonald can get it going at the same time, the Jets are going to have quite the presence off the edge, particularly in obvious passing situations.

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