Jets' Jermaine Johnson trade could fully unlock a Will McDonald breakout

We knew that there would be some serious schematic changes to the New York Jets defense when it was announced that Aaron Glenn would be taking over play-calling duties. Glenn favored more aggressive, man-coverage-oriented systems in Detroit than the Robert Saleh-esque defense the team ran under Steve Wilks last season.

How exactly the changes were going to shake out and what impact they would have on personnel was anyone's guess, but with the stunning trade of Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans, we're starting to see the vision take hold.

Coming back in the trade is a true nose tackle in T'Vondre Sweat. At over 360 pounds, Sweat is a departure from the smaller, quicker defensive tackles the Jets have relied upon in recent years. With that, he could be the first domino in a series of moves that set the scene for Will McDonald to elevate to another level.

T'Vondre Sweat could help get Will McDonald and the Jets defense to another level

A controversial first-round selection in 2023, McDonald has developed into a boom-or-bust pass rusher over the past two seasons. He finished 2024 with 10.5 sacks and followed up with eight this past season.

Consistency was an issue last year, with half of his season's sack total coming in Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns. He ranked just 43rd among edge rushers with 42 total pressures, and by Pro Football Focus's pass rush win rate, his 11% mark ranked 46th (minimum 250 snaps).

Throw in the fact that his slight frame made him an abysmal run defender, and it was easy to feel down about him relative to his draft position.

Under Saleh, the Jets were pretty much strictly a 4-3 front, and though they ran some 3-4 looks last season, they didn't have the personnel to lean into it fully. Sweat's acquisition changes that.

Now the Jets will have the ability to get a lot of beef up front with Sweat in the middle, and Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs serving as the other two-down linemen.

That will allow McDonald to play more as a stand-up outside linebacker. In pass rush situations, Sweat's space-eating ability, in conjunction with Briggs and Phillips, will tie up blockers, giving the Iowa State product room to leverage his speed on the outside.

The ability to cleanly get a head of steam in space is what makes McDonald so dangerous, as he can then bend around bigger offensive tackles and wreak havoc in the pocket.

The wide-nine alignment Saleh used tried to accomplish the same thing, but without a player who could consistently draw a double team, opponents were still often able to get hands on McDonald before he could get up to top speed.

This will make the speedster more dangerous, and running out a lineup of run stuffers will also protect him against the ground game, but the next domino to fall is the one that will truly break it open for McDonald.

If New York selects Arvell Reese No. 2 overall, which is starting to seem likely, they could have a force on the other edge unlike anything we've seen since John Abraham. Johnson's jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none style was hard not to like, but in the absence of a dominant rusher on the other side, it limited his effectiveness.

If Reese can become the Micah Parsons-type of pass-rushing menace that he's been billed as, he'll draw even more attention away from McDonald. That will make him even more lethal, as by the time teams react to his speed, it will be too late.

The Jets are setting up to put forth a unit that could really emphasize McDonald's skills while hiding his warts. If things come to pass as they seem, expect the 27-year-old to have a big year in 2026.