The Jets haven't needed long to prove their faith in David Bailey

Even if the New York Jets had wanted to bring David Bailey along slowly, they really never had a chance. 

Legalized sports betting and social media have only ramped up the pressure for rookies to immediately contribute. Just ask the Tennessee Titans’ Carnell Tate or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Reuben Bain, both of whom have already become targets for their respective fan bases.

Ah, yes, because who would have ever predicted that a rookie receiver wouldn’t immediately blossom when he has Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll leading the way?

As for Bailey, he’s been everything that the Jets could have expected, and that’s a testament to Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey’s overall strategy.

The New York Jets haven’t wasted time unleashing rookie David Bailey

Bailey already owns two sacks and a forced fumble, making him one of only six players league-wide to achieve those numbers. In a sport ruled by weekly overreactions, good luck finding many pundits still bold enough to trash the Jets for taking Bailey over Arvell Reese.

Glenn and Mougey deserve credit for not wasting time getting Bailey on the field, which is far easier said than done. He played 70% of the Jets' defensive snaps in Week 1, helping silence Saleh and the Titans. The ex-Texas Tech standout followed that up by taking the field for 73 percent of defensive snaps against the Packers last Sunday.

Every rookie’s situation is different, though we rightfully expect far more from those selected within the top 10. Tate went No. 4 this past spring, yet his snaps dropped from 88 percent to 75 percent despite the Titans staying neck-and-neck with the Eagles. Despite being active following a Week 1 shoulder injury, the Chiefs didn’t play cornerback Mansoor Delane (No. 6) last week.

To their credit, the Commanders clearly understood the assignment, and linebacker Sonny Styles (No. 7) played all 55 defensive snaps in Week 2. He only had three tackles in a 17-point loss to the Cowboys, but they’ve committed to ensuring he maximizes his playing time. 

Outside of quarterbacks or those out with injury, every top-10 pick should be playing at least 70 percent of the September snaps. You might be tempted to argue that the floor should be higher, and we don’t entirely disagree. But with how complex some schemes are, we’ll take a rookie playing every seven out of ten snaps.

That’s why the Cardinals’ decision to take Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 looks far more egregious by the day. Tyler Allegier has played 76 snaps to Love's 52 through two weeks, and a preseason high ankle sprain doesn’t justify Mike LaFleur’s rationale. Then again, these are the Cardinals we’re talking about.

The Jets get their next crack at a top-10 pick in Week 5, when they host No. 9 pick Spencer Tano and the Browns. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound left tackle has played every snap thus far.

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