Will McDonald is earning Aaron Glenn's trust in unexpected ways

The New York Jets' pass rush was really underwhelming throughout the first few weeks of the season, and it was easy for fans to point to the team's underperforming group of edges as the main culprits.

No. 2 overall pick David Bailey had a handful of disappointing outings before totally breaking out in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns with three sacks, but New York's struggles weren't just on the rookie.

Joseph Ossai (once he made his return from injury), Kingsley Enagbare, and Will McDonald's pass- rushing chops all were called into question. McDonald, in particular, as a former first-round draft pick, was getting some side-eye from fans. He's even been floated as a trade candidate at times.

But it's starting to seem like McDonald is really starting to earn the trust of head coach Aaron Glenn, and it's not just when he's screaming off the edge. McDonald is finding ways to contribute on both defense and special teams.

Aaron Glenn sings praises of New York Jets edge Will McDonald

At his Monday morning press conference, Glenn was asked about McDonald's performance against the Cleveland Browns, and the head coach took the time to shout out the forgotten pass rusher for his contributions as the primary spy on Deshaun Watson.

"Will, another flamethrower for us when you're talking about coming off the edge and making plays. Man, he was effective in a number of jobs we had him do. I think you guys probably saw that he was the spy on Deshaun, and he made a number of plays running him down," Glenn told reporters.

McDonald had one of his better outings of the season this past Sunday against Cleveland, finishing with three pressures, a sack, a run stop, and a forced fumble, perThe Jet Press' Justin Fried. He even recorded a 74.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade.

But the former Iowa State standout wasn't just contributing on defense; as Glenn pointed out, McDonald was a member of the Jets' kickoff unit and made two tackles on Browns returners.

"Another thing you guys might not have picked up on was that he was on the kickoff team, and he did a hell of a job. I think he made two tackles... and he wants to be a part of that. And that just goes to show you the growth of this team because we have some starters that really want to be on special teams."

Glenn finding a way to get the most out of all his players is awesome to see, despite them not always being a perfect fit for his scheme. McDonald should see more use as he continues to earn the trust of the Jets' coaching staff.

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