New York Jets sophomore EDGE Will McDonald IV is going to play a larger role this season. McDonald made a minimum impact as a backup defender throughout 2023. A breakout campaign is within the realm of possibility following offseason changes to the Jets' defense.
The No. 15 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, McDonald was buried on a deep Jets depth chart. The former Iowa State standout played behind the likes of Jermaine Johnson, Bryce Huff, Micheal Clemons, and John Franklin-Myers. In fact, McDonald played the fewest snaps of any first-round rookie in the league last season.
McDonald never reached 20 snaps in a single game as a back-end rotational defender. The Pewaukee, Wisconsin native never accounted for more than 30% of defensive snaps in any contest, and he only reached that figure in Weeks 15 and 18. McDonald totaled 184 plays for a season-long snap share of 16.18%.
Robert Saleh said that Will McDonald weighs about the same as last year, but believes he is stronger.
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) July 29, 2024
For him to play more they want him to learn how to run through people, not just around. Saleh said this isn’t just tied to weight, but technique.
McDonald hasn’t played much…
McDonald recorded his first career half-sack in a blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8. The lightbulb flickered as the campaign progressed forward. McDonald accumulated 2.5 additional sacks in the Jets’ final five games.
General manager Joe Douglas made notable changes to the outside linebacker room earlier this offseason. Huff signed a three-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. Huff was the lone Jets defender to reach 10 sacks last season. McDonald is expected to make up some of that lost production.
The Jets also traded Franklin-Myers to the Denver Broncos during the 2024 NFL Draft. Franklin-Myers totaled 3.5 sacks in 17 regular-season appearances last season. He was the Jets' second-most-snapped defensive end at 627 snaps, accounting for more than 55% of their plays.
Franklin-Myers and Huff weren’t the only departures. Carl Lawson wasn’t re-signed. Lawson wasn’t healthy for the majority of the 2023 season, but if he was still on the roster, McDonald would be competing with him for playing time.
Of course, all this change didn't occur without the Jets bringing in reinforcements. Douglas acquired Haason Reddick in a trade with the Eagles. Reddick, who has racked up 50.5 sacks across the last four NFL seasons, projects as the every-down starter opposite Johnson pending the resolution of his contract situation. Even if that comes to fruition, McDonald is still entering the 2024 campaign roughly two spots higher on the depth chart than he was last season, which guarantees more opportunity.
McDonald barely played as a rookie, but he'll be tasked with helping replace Franklin-Myers and Huff as a sophomore. Furthermore, Reddick's current holdout could impact the start of his regular season. McDonald could take advantage by maximizing his increased reps to build toward a breakout year.