Will McDonald, a second-year defensive end for the Jets, knows the task.
“Make more sacks,” McDonald said after the Jets beat the Commanders 20-17 on Saturday. “I’ve got to make some sacks. That’s the only thing on my mind. Just being that baller and impacting the game every time I’m out there.”
Among the players not competing for a spot on the roster, there is probably no other Jet for whom this training camp and preseason mean more than McDonald.
The Jets drafted him with the No. 15 pick in 2023, a choice that drew complaints from fans who would have preferred an offensive lineman or wide receiver for the position.
McDonald was used only sporadically as a rookie, but repeatedly showed flashes of the ability that made him a first-round pick.
He finished the season with three sacks.
With Bryce Huff joining the Eagles as a free agent and the Jets trading John Franklin-Myers to the Broncos, there is a void for an edge rusher that McDonald can fill.
The team signed Haason Reddick to fill that gap, but he’s been holding back, which creates even more opportunities for McDonald.
McDonald played 12 snaps on Saturday. He didn’t have a sack, but he did tackle Commanders quarterback Jeff Driskel on one play after using his trademark spin move to beat tackle Mason Brooks.
McDonald was ultimately cautioned in this game for “unnecessary force against the passer”, but the decision seemed questionable.
The officer said McDonald landed on Driskel with his entire body weight.
Although it ended in a penalty, the play showed how explosive McDonald can be at the rim. McDonald is an athletic prodigy with the ability to bend at the rim.
The Jets wish he had gained more weight during the offseason, but McDonald says he has gotten stronger.
“I’m bigger, stronger, faster,” McDonald said. “I can see plays better. Last year I was a rookie. I was still trying to do what I needed to do, but this offseason I made sure I did what I needed to do.”
The question for the Jets and McDonald entering year 2 is how much he will be on the field. Jets coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich like to use a rotation on the defensive line.
Last season, the snap distribution was as follows: Jermaine Johnson 66 percent, Franklin-Myers 55 percent, Huff 42 percent, Micheal Clemons 33 percent and McDonald 16 percent.
Johnson and Reddick are expected to be the top two edge rushers this season, but can McDonald match Huff’s playing time?
Many have talked about McDonald taking a leap forward this season. He believes he just needs a chance.
“I don’t think I need to make a jump. I just need more opportunities,” McDonald said. “I’ve always been that type of player. Last year we had a lot of good guys on the roster, I just couldn’t get as many opportunities, but this year I hope to get more opportunities and just take advantage of them. People always say to jump here and there. I don’t think I needed to make a jump because first of all, I wasn’t a bad player. I just needed more opportunities so I could take advantage of them.”
The Jets travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, this week for a joint practice with the Panthers on Thursday before playing a preseason game against them on Saturday.
It will be another big week for McDonald.
The Jets posted a video of his performance during a joint practice against the Commanders last week and highlighted how well he played.
McDonald now knows he has to show that in a game.
“It was cool, but that’s training,” McDonald said. “When it’s game time, you have to go crazy. When the game comes, you have to be totally on the ball.”
