David Bailey’s attention is locked on one player this week: Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
Bailey, selected No. 2 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, said Wednesday on The Post’s “Gang’s All Here” podcast that he is not yet concerned with future AFC East matchups against quarterbacks such as Josh Allen or Drake Maye, both of whom the Jets will see twice later in his rookie season. For now, his full focus is on Sunday’s opener in Tennessee, where his priority will be containing — and, if possible, taking down — Ward in his NFL debut.
“I’m not really thinking about [divisional teams] right now, honestly. I’m thinking about it week by week,” the 23-year-old Bailey said during his conversation with hosts Brian Costello and Ryan Sampson. “I mean, we’re going [against] a good-ass quarterback right now. Obviously going against Cam Ward, he’s extremely elusive. He’s a good quarterback.
Bailey said the Jets have spent the week building a defensive approach designed to keep Ward from extending plays with his legs and creativity. “So we’ve put together a plan to try and contain him…It’s going to be a group effort,” he said, noting that every quarterback presents a different challenge. While Ward’s mobility demands extra awareness, Bailey added that his personal approach does not swing wildly from opponent to opponent. His goal remains the same: impact the game and help the Jets defense win its matchups.
Ward, who went first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, endured plenty of pressure during his rookie year with the Titans. He was sacked 55 times, matching returning Jets quarterback Geno Smith — then with the Raiders — for the most in the NFL.
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Bailey registered one sack during the preseason against the Steelers after totaling 14.5 last season at Texas Tech.
The 6-foot-3 edge rusher has cited eight-time Pro Bowler Von Miller — now with the Cowboys — as an outside linebacker he emulates.
“Von is, man, just the way he plays, man. When it’s all said and done, I want my highlight tape to look just like his, man,” Bailey said. But man, just the ways he gets after the quarterback, elite, it just seems like he always knows what to do. When his first move doesn’t work, he always has a counter ready.
“So, man, yeah, he’s just like the first that I really studied, for real.”