David Bailey's Week 8 status up in the air in latest blow to Jets

The New York Jets' pass rush is one of the worst of its kind in the NFL, with No. 2 pick David Bailey serving as one of the only reasons this unit can cause even a little bit of havoc. The Jets may be without their flamethrower on the edge in what has become a must-win game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Bailey has missed practice for the second straight day due to a groin injury, which does not bode well for his availability against Kirk Cousins and the Raiders. When paired with T'Vondre Sweat, who is also likely missing this game with a knee problem, the Jets might be without their two best defensive lineman right after they were manhandled by a previously winless Miami Dolphins team.

Will McDonald, who is playing less than ever before, and Kingsley Enagbare, who is not a No. 1 pass rusher in the NFL, are projected to be the starters if Bailey is unable to play. The last thing this Jets team needed was to go into this game wounded, and Bailey's injury could prove to be a major setback.

New York Jets edge David Bailey possibly out for Week 8 vs. Raiders

The Jets may go into this game with four-fifths of their projected Week 1 defensive line on the mend, with the only projected starter who is still healthy being the underperforming Harrison Phillips. Joseph Ossai's 2026 season looks like a complete wash due to his injuries; David Onyemata remains out, and both Sweat and Bailey face long odds of playing against Las Vegas.

Bailey has started to put together a solid rookie season, tallying 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in seven games. Perhaps most encouraging about his start to begin the year is the fact that he has appeared to be more than solid against the run, which was thought to be a negative based on his college tape at Texas Tech.

The Raiders' offensive line is much better than it was in the 2025 season, but Tyler Linderbaum has not played like a nearly $30 million-per-year center, and Jackson Powers-Johnson has been benched. Their tackles have been hit-and-miss depending on the opponent, and that could have been a terrific get-right game for Bailey.

David Bailey's groin injury is bad news for New York Jets

Not only will McDonald, who has just two sacks in what has been a very disappointing season, get extra reps, but preseason star Nate Lynn could be in for an expanded role. Considering he had a sack on what was his only pass-rush snap in the loss to the Dolphins, the Jets might be able to experiment with him and see if he is a long-term piece.

Week 8 could also serve as a breakout game for Darrell Jackson Jr., as he could slide into the starting lineup with Sweat on the mend and Jowon Briggs struggling. The defensive line has been a huge disappointment, so changing up just about anything in the name of "finding something that works" wouldn't be a bad idea.

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