Former All-SEC South Carolina alum gets new NFL opportunity
On Tuesday, many Americans were focused on election coverage, so it may have been easy to miss that former Gamecock offensive lineman Zack Bailey signed a new NFL contract. Bailey, who spent part of the preseason with the Atlanta Falcons, is now a member of the New York Jets. Per an announcement from the organization, the former South Carolina star will join the practice squad.
With the Jets, Bailey reunites with former Gamecock teammate Javon Kinlaw. Former USC linebacker and assistant Shaq Wilson is also on staff in New York.
Bailey has bounced around the NFL since signing an undrafted free agent deal following the 2019 NFL Draft. Injuries and opportunity have limited Bailey since becoming a pro. However, he is a good enough player to stick in the league, as evidenced by his six-year career.
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So far during his NFL tenure, Bailey has spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Football Team/Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, and New York Jets. He also had brief training camp stints and preseason tryouts with several other teams, including the Houston Texans.
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During his South Carolina football career, Bailey was a two-time All-SEC performer. The conference’s coaches voted him to the team in 2017 at right tackle and in 2018 at left guard. Known primarily as a left guard, he also started games at center and right tackle in his career and played some right guard. As a junior in 2017, he spent his entire season out wide. After his Freshman All-SEC 2015 season, Bailey became the Gamecocks’ most consistent lineman during the Will Muschamp era in Columbia. Known for his toughness and leadership, Bailey’s teammates voted him a “permanent Gamecock captain” as a senior in 2018.
