EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- If this was it for Rasheed Bailey with the Philadelphia Eagles, he sure went out on a high note.
“That showed that I accomplished something,” Bailey said. “I scored a touchdown in the National Football League. Wow.”
Bailey’s touchdown catch from Tim Tebow and his other reception may have been enough to keep Thursday’s preseason game at the Meadowlands from being it for Bailey. The rookie from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown opened a lot of eyes during this preseason.
“Rasheed Bailey makes a lot of plays,” Tebow said. “He had a step on the secondary and I gave him a shot. He’s making plays every single day.”
Bailey finished the preseason with 10 catches for 100 yards.
“I think the one thing I showed was maximum effort,” Bailey said. “I left it all out there. No matter what happens, I can go home and say, 'I gave it everything I had.’ I’m happy.”
For Bailey, a good crowd in college was 5,000 fans. In the past four weeks, he has played two games at Lincoln Financial Field, one game at Lambeau Field and this game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium.
It won’t be easy making the 53-man roster. If the Eagles keep six wide receivers, as expected, first-round pick Nelson Agholor and second-year receivers Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff are virtually locks. Riley Cooper and Miles Austin are veterans whose contracts make it unlikely they will be cut.
That leaves one spot, which is expected to go to Seyi Ajirotutu, a good special-teams player who signed as a free agent.
But Bailey said he would count it as an accomplishment if he is signed to the Eagles’ practice squad. That is a distinct possibility. He has done enough in the preseason to give himself a good chance.
“It would mean so much to me,” Bailey said. “To be a part of this team, to be a part of this culture. To be around guys like Jordan and these other receivers, it’s a true blessing to be around here.”
