Iron Sharpens Iron: David Bailey and Armand Membou Need Each Other

David Bailey's emergence is key not only to the Jets' defensive success, but to a dynamic that wlil allow Armand Membou to thrive as well.

New York Jets edge David Bailey (31) warms up during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Robert Saleh may no longer be the New York Jets' head coach, but one consistent phrase he used is a perfect description of the best training camp battle this year for the organization.

"Iron sharpens iron."

Some Jets fans may see the phrase and compare it to New York's improved passing attack going up against a new-look secondary. At the end of the day, though, the focus of that quote encapsulates the work done by Jets right tackle Armand Membou and No. 2 overall pick edge rusher David Bailey.

The first draft choices in each of the last two years in April for New York are not only competing at an extremely high level, but they are doing so in a way that will inevitably make them each better by the start of the regular season.

Bailey and Membou sharpen iron

On Thursday, Bailey dominated the day, winning consistently against one of the bright young tackles in the sport and recording three unofficial sacks. It was the kind of performance that would thrill any Jets fan.

On Saturday, Membou got his revenge, reportedly shutting down Bailey at a level the young edge rusher had not been to this point: even when dominating at Texas Tech. Last year's No. 7 pick was already considered one of the best young offensive linemen in the league.

Saturday proved that. And it reminded the current rookie not only of how far he has to go to get to Membou's level, but of the importance each player holds to each other's future.

"He's a really good player," Bailey said. "He's been getting me better and I hope I've been getting him better. He's been a great person to challenge me on the field."

New York did not have a consistent pass-rusher like Bailey in Membou's first training camp. In many cases, the start of his NFL career was the kind of trial by fire that most players stumble with. In the first two months of the regular season, the Missouri product battled TJ Watt, Haason Reddick, Nick Bonitto, Gregory Rousseau, and Bradley Chubb.

Hardly an easy group to go through - and that also excludes a matchup against Myles Garrett, Harold Landry, and James Pearce. That's why Bailey's emergence is so important: it provides further preparation for another gauntlet of pass rushers to face.

More than ever, Membou will be ready—even if the rookie is making things harder than expected.

“I think he’s somebody who’s going to make the tackles better, and the tackles are going to make him better,” Jets guard Joe Tippmann said of Bailey. "They said he was a pain in the (expletive)."

Like Membou last year, Bailey will be tasked with making an immediate impact on a Jets defense that was one of the worst teams in getting after the passer. If he can produce at a high level, it will give New York another positive piece to their roster who is still on a rookie contract.

And that should give the frustrated fan base something to look forward to: a future to build on.