Minakh Fitzpatrick made it clear how much the Jets adore David Bailey

The time had come for New York Jets rookie David Bailey’s coming-out party, and the Cleveland Browns were more than willing to throw an unforgettable shindig.

Bailey tormented the Browns’ offensive line this past Sunday, recording three sacks, seven tackles, and four quarterback hits in a much-needed 17-12 win. The No. 2 pick became the first rookie since Miami’s Jaelen Phillips in 2021 to have a three-sack performance.

Amid growing frustration among Jets fans who wanted immediate gratification, Bailey spent Week 5 reiterating why the Jets took him above Ohio State’s Arvell Reese this past spring.

“I think some of the pressure that’s been put on him is kind of unfair for a young guy,” Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “We knew he had the potential to do this and thankfully, this was the week that he did it.”

New York Jets rookie David Bailey spent Week 5 validating the team’s continued faith

We understand why fans want to see a first-round pick dominate from the jump, and even more so in the social media era. There’s also a justified lack of patience among those who have watched the Jets fail to record a winning record since 2015; seemingly, everything they’ve tried, whether it was the Aaron Rodgers experiment or gambling on Le’Veon Bell, has yielded the same results.

But even heading into Week 5, we didn’t understand the negativity surrounding the Texas Tech product. Most of it likely stemmed from Reese’s excellent start with the Giants, but Bailey already had two sacks, three tackles for a loss, and three quarterback hits. This wasn’t a Vernon Gholston situation where even recording a tackle felt like an achievement. 

Nothing wins over fans more than exceeding expectations, especially against an inconsistent Browns offense. Credit to the Jets for holding Cleveland below 200 yards despite another ugly, penalty-filled defensive outing. Bailey and teammates sacked Deshaun Watson eight times and broke up seven passes en route to ending a three-game losing streak.

“It was fun to watch him, man,” receiver Garrett Wilson said. “I found myself over there watching every play, just celebrating his sacks.”

And if you needed further proof of how much the Jets adore Bailey, look no further than their postgame reaction when Aaron Glenn called the rookie edge rusher’s name.

We can say whatever we want about the Jets, from their offensive misery to an overall lack of discipline. But Glenn and Darren Mougey have emphasized adding respected locker room leaders who don’t hesitate to hype players up, as Fitzpatrick did with fellow safety Dane Belton ahead of the Browns game.

And for anyone still worried about Bailey’s career turning out like Gholston, just know that Bailey already has five more sacks through five games than Gholston did across 45 games.

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