Will Mcdonald Iv Remains Jets Defensive Mystery For Aaron Glenn

The Jets have a lot of new faces at edge rusher this season. But it is one familiar face that feels like a bit of a forgotten man with the 2026 Jets. 

Will McDonald IV is still here. The question is what role he will be in for a Jets defense in transition. 

“I envision him being a good player for us,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “And whatever capacity that we’re going to have him in, I feel like he’s going to be a good player for us.” 

Well, that does not clear up much. 

McDonald was a first-round pick in 2023 by the old regime of Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh. He’s had some good moments as a Jet. He had 10 ½ sacks in 2024.

He had a blocked field goal for a touchdown last year against the Buccaneers. McDonald registered four sacks against the Browns last year. 

But there also has been some inconsistency. He finished last season with eight sacks total even though he had four in that one game. There have been games in which he has not had much impact. His run defense remains a question. 

There is a question of how well he fits Glenn’s scheme. The head coach professes to liking big guys up front, and that was evident this offseason with many of the additions the Jets made. McDonald is a smaller edge rusher whose game is based on speed. 

McDonald added some weight this offseason. Glenn recently said he is 240 pounds. He looks bigger in his uniform, but the questions remain just how the Jets will use him. They drafted David Bailey at No. 2 overall and signed edge players Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare.

There surely will be a rotation on the edge, but just how big a part of that McDonald will be remains a question. 

On Thursday, McDonald said the additions did not make him question how he fits. 

“No, not really,” McDonald said. “The scheme of the defense is to get like help. Those are really good guys, good run defenders, good pass rushers. There’s things that I learn off of them. There’s things they learn off of me. I just think having those guys in the room helps me, helps the rookies and helps everybody else around.” 

The 27-year-old is entering his fourth NFL season. The Jets exercised his fifth-year option for 2027, but it still feels like this could be a short-term relationship. It would not be a shock to see McDonald traded at the midseason deadline this year. Last season, the Jets rejected any trade inquiries on McDonald, but they may listen this year. 

It also would not be a surprise if McDonald is used as a pass rush specialist this year and sits out running downs. 

“Pass rushing has always been his wheelhouse,” Glenn said. “And I think you guys know, I know, he knows that his improvement has been the run game. Listen, he came in this year, he’s 240 pounds, he looks really good, I know you guys see that.

“He took it upon himself to understand, have awareness of where [he would] have to improve at, and I have no doubt in my mind he’s going to get better in that aspect.” 

McDonald said he focused this offseason on nutrition and adding weight. 

“I bulked up a little bit,” McDonald said. “Obviously, I’m going to use that in the run game. Obviously, there’s room for improvement in my run game, so that’s another thing I’m really big on.” 

McDonald said he enjoys playing with Bailey and the two are helping each other. The Jets traded Jermaine Johnson to the Titans during the offseason, so McDonald has seen how the business of the NFL works. 

Ossai and Enagbare currently are dealing with injuries, leaving a lot of reps for McDonald. He now needs to make the most of them to prove to Glenn and the Jets that he should have a big role on this defense and not be a forgotten man.