Jets pass rush could be dealt another blow after Will McDonald IV pops up on injury report

When Aaron Glenn met with the media on Friday morning, he made it official that Breece Hall, Kiko Mauigoa, Adonai Mitchell, and Dylan Parham would all be out for the New York Jets' Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. He failed to mention that there would be a new development once the injury report was released later that same day.

When the Jets posted their final practice report, Will McDonald IV was listed as questionable heading into Sunday's matchup. After practicing without an injury designation all week, McDonald was limited with a calf on Friday, casting some doubt on his availability.

New York's pass rush is already struggling, and while McDonald has played a limited role through the first four games of the 2026 season, his absence is not ideal for the Jets' defense.

It should be noted that the former first-round edge had a career game against Cleveland last season. Facing off against the Dillon Gabriel-led Browns, McDonald recorded four sacks, tying a franchise record for the most in a single game.

Who will step up for the New York Jets if Will McDonald can't play?

The good news is, if McDonald can't go, the Jets seem to be getting edge Kingsley Enagbare back after missing last week's matchup against the Chicago Bears.

Despite being listed as questionable, he logged two limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday before being upgraded to a full participant on Friday.

But Enagbare is more of an edge-setting run stuffer than a feared pass rusher, and McDonald is the guy who typically comes in on obvious passing situations to get after opposing quarterbacks.

The player most likely to fill in on that front is preseason standout Nate Lynn. After Braiden McGregor tore his pec in Week 4, the Jets signed Lynn to the active roster to take his place.

Lynn was a training camp favorite for Jets fans, thanks to a dominant preseason. Despite being a late addition to the offseason roster, Lynn recorded three sacks in two games and was a favorite to make the final 53-man roster.

He ended up not making the cut, but was quickly brought back onto the practice squad. He's now likely to see his first action with the Jets this coming Sunday, especially if McDonald can't play.

The Jets' pass rush has been an unfortunate topic of conversation over the last few weeks, and they're in desperate need of a bounce-back game. That task will be even harder without McDonald in the lineup.

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