Latest Will McDonald update paints grim picture of Jets future

The New York Jets were hoping to see 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald thrive now that he has been paired with No. 2 overall selection David Bailey, but the early reports suggest that he is failing to adapt to Aaron Glenn and new defensive coordinator Brian Duker's scheme ahead of the 2026 season.

Connor Hughes of SNY is reporting that McDonald started camp with the second-team defense and only managed to get first-team looks after Joseph Ossai was sidelined due to an injury. Per Hughes, McDonald "isn’t making his presence felt" in the limited reps he does get.

Not only is this bad news for a Jets team who seemingly went into the year with the expectation that McDonald's speed would pair nicely with what Bailey brings to the table, but McDonald getting seemingly outplayed by Kingsley Enagbare is not what those in support of the former Iowa State stud had in mind.

New York Jets edge rusher Will McDonald reportedly working with second-team defense

McDonald is an interesting evaluation. Picking him over Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes this selection an immediate mistake, and his status as perhaps the worst run defender in the NFL makes things even worse. However, McDonald has proven to be more than useful as a pass rusher, so much so that many viewed 2026 as a season he could use to cash in as a free agent.

McDonald recorded 18.5 sacks over the last two seasons, and that came on a team that was often down by multiple scores and giving him so few opportunities to pin his ears back and attack the quarterback. Perhaps, if Geno Smith were able to keep the Jets in more games than they were last season, McDonald would benefit as well.

The Jets have built a solid run-defending defensive line, but it seems tough to imagine McDonald and Bailey both sharing the field for heavy snaps together. Both Ossai and Enagbare seem to be better run defenders, and with McDonald not tied to an organization that didn't draft him beyond this year, he is not guaranteed much in terms of playing time.

The Jets have already given up trying to make their thin edge rusher a run defender worth a damn in the pros, and with other names starting to pass him up on the depth chart, it looks more likely by the day that Jets fans are reaching the end of the McDonald era in New York.

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