David Bailey, who has been turning heads with an outstanding performance at training camp, may now face a potential obstacle.
During a late moment in Saturday’s intense intrasquad scrimmage, the dynamic edge rusher, who was the second pick in this year’s draft, appeared to sustain a minor ankle injury.
This incident occurred just as Bailey was concluding yet another impressive practice session, during which he recorded two near-sacks and consistently disrupted the offensive line.
His relentless pressure proved challenging for starting left tackle Olu Fashanu.
The exact moment of Bailey’s ankle injury remains a mystery.
After coming off the field, he received medical attention and was moving around on the sideline.
“I would say day to day, but let me make sure because … he got up and I think he jogged off,” coach Aaron Glenn said. “So, I would think it would be that.”
The Jets are hoping Bailey can elevate a pass rush that was 31st in the league a year ago with 26 sacks.
Last year at Texas Tech, he had 14.5 sacks.
Nobody was happier to see the Jets add veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the offseason than Malachi Moore.
The second-year safety grew up idolizing Fitzpatrick as a Trussville, Ala., native and Alabama football fan.
Moore, a fourth-round pick one season ago, attended Alabama too.
“For him to be on the team now is crazy,” he said. “Looking up to him coming out of high school, going to Alabama, he’s all over the walls up there and everything.
“I told him this funny story: When I first got to college, my first couple of days there, coach [Nick] Saban was calling me Minkah in film. I’m like, ‘Coach, it’s Malachi.’ In the back of my head, I’m thinking, if you’re going to mess my name up, call me anybody, Minkah is pretty cool.”
It was another productive practice for return specialist/receiver Isaiah Williams.
He caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith on a deflection and made four other receptions during the controlled scrimmage.
“Even though I love the kick return and punt return ability, man there’s some things he can do on our offense that, listen, we’re going to have to give him the ball some way,” Glenn said. “We got to figure out a way to make sure that he’s involved because he’s an explosive player.”