Jets seem to be prioritizing the wrong player in trade rumors

The New York Jets are expected to field offers on a number of their players ahead of the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline, and two names that have repeatedly popped up in rumors are defensive ends Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald.

Johnson and McDonald have reportedly generated interest from teams around the league searching for pass-rush help. The Jets haven't necessarily shut down inquiries, but they've seemingly made it clear which player they'd prefer to move.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on Friday that the Jets have "no plans to move" McDonald, but they are "listening on" Johnson. Breer insists that the Jets are looking for a second-round pick in return for their Pro Bowl defensive end.

This aligns with previous reporting that suggested the Jets had made Johnson available in trade talks. The team's high reported asking price makes it unlikely that either player gets moved, but it's certainly notable that the Jets are willing to listen to offers for one and not the other.

Jets are prioritizing Will McDonald over Jermaine Johnson in trade talks

Part of the reason the Jets are probably prioritizing McDonald over Johnson is contractual. Johnson will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, while the Jets feasibly have two years of team control on McDonald, assuming they pick up his fifth-year option in the offseason.

There's also the factor that Johnson missed most of the 2024 season due to a torn Achilles and was sidelined for a few games this year due to an ankle injury. While he's played reasonably well since his return, we've yet to see him truly return to his pre-injury form.

Still, it's also fair to say that Johnson is simply the better player. The former Florida State standout has a Pro Bowl to his name and is a genuine three-down starting defensive end. He's the best run-defending edge rusher on the roster, and he's been more than capable of contributing as a pass rusher in the past.

The same can't necessarily be said for McDonald, who is more of a passing-down specialist being asked to play a larger role than he probably should be. McDonald's limitations as a run defender significantly decrease his overall value to a defense.

His 39.5 Pro Football Focus run defense grade in 2024 was far and away the lowest among all qualified edge defenders, a full 6.0 points lower than any other player.

McDonald missed an alarming 34.4% of his tackle attempts in 2024 and has whiffed on just under 28% of his attempts this season. For context, the league average sits around 10% — McDonald misses tackles at three times that rate.

It's not as if McDonald is especially lighting it up as a pass rusher this season, either. The former Iowa State star has managed just 16 pressures and three sacks this season. His 72.3 PFF pass rush grade is above average, but not exactly superstar-caliber.

In reality, McDonald’s ideal role is probably as a high-end rotational pass rusher, someone who isn’t overexposed on early downs and can focus on attacking the quarterback in obvious passing situations.

Johnson, on the other hand, has the skill set and ceiling of a true three-down starter, which should, in theory, make him the more valuable piece for the Jets.

The Jets don’t exactly have the luxury of trading away either player right now, given the state of their defensive end group. While it still seems unlikely that Johnson or McDonald will actually be dealt, the reports about their availability have been both surprising and a bit puzzling.