They used three first-round picks on three of the best players in the draft: Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. They also used later picks on Hoosiers All-American cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and Clemson's star quarterback Cade Klubnik. Yet in their preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday, it was an undrafted rookie free agent who arguably had the best performance of any Jets defender: BYU cornerback Mory Bamba.
Bamba finished the game with five combined tackles — three solo — and four pass breakups, more than any other defender on either sideline. Unfortunately, he now looks set to be sidelined for potentially the remainder of the preseason. Head coach Aaron Glenn announced Monday that Bamba is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a right knee injury.
He was reportedly seen working out on the side of the field with a brace on his knee during Monday's practice — an injury that could seriously jeopardize his chances of making the Jets' final roster. New York has two more preseason games remaining: against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, Aug. 21, and against the New York Giants on Friday, Aug. 28. After that, the team must trim its roster to 53 players for the start of the 2026 season.
More news: Bills’ Josh Allen-DJ Moore Connection Shines in Preseason Win Over Panthers More news: Deshaun Watson Turns Up the Heat on Shedeur Sanders in Browns’ QB Battle Bamba began his college career in 2021 at Division III Wisconsin–Oshkosh, before a brief JUCO stint at Tyler Junior College in Texas and then committing to BYU ahead of the 2022 season. Across four seasons with the Cougars, he appeared in 36 games, recording 47 combined tackles, nine pass breakups, two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. A former track star, Bamba is a speedy, athletic corner with a strong frame at roughly 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds.
He made just eight starts at BYU and was considered more of a developmental prospect entering the draft. But after his strong showing in the Jets' preseason opener, there was hope he could carve out a role in the defensive backfield this season. Now, the odds appear stacked against him, with a real chance he misses one — if not both — of the Jets' remaining preseason games.
More news: Joe Burrow Breaks Silence on Wild Jayden Daniels-LSU Dispute
Extract — continue reading at the source.
