Three weeks from the NFL trade deadline, the most accomplished pass rusher on the Jets’ roster is playing his smallest role since his rookie year. Will McDonald IV has two sacks in six games with one start, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini has reported he will again be a name to watch when teams call.
Will McDonald IV is expected to draw trade inquiries before the NFL deadline on November 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET, according to reporting from ESPN’s Rich Cimini. He has two sacks in six games, and the Jets hold his fifth-year option through 2027.
What has actually been reported about a McDonald trade?
Interest, not a deal. Cimini reported that McDonald will once again be a name to watch regarding trade inquiries, a line carried in a Pro Football Rumors report citing Cimini on October 18. Treat it as unconfirmed: it is one beat reporter’s expectation, no reporting has described an offer or a team in pursuit, and the Jets have not addressed it publicly. McDonald surfaced the same way before the 2025 deadline and was not moved, as our August look at the McDonald trade talk noted when Cimini raised it in training camp.
Why has his role shrunk this season?
Because the Jets drafted a starter ahead of him. David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, has started all six games and leads the team with five sacks, 30 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and three forced fumbles, per Pro Football Reference season totals.
McDonald’s line over the same six games reads two sacks, 12 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, four quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, with a single start. Kingsley Enagbare also has two. Bailey was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after a three-sack game, and the rotation has tilted to him.
What does McDonald’s contract look like?
He is under team control through 2027 on a guaranteed fifth-year option. The Jets announced in late April that they had exercised the option, worth $13.752 million for 2027, as reported by Pro Football Talk when the option was picked up.
That is what makes him a trade piece rather than a rental. The 15th overall pick in 2023, McDonald had three sacks as a rookie and 18.5 over the two seasons that followed on roughly two-thirds of the defensive snaps. An acquiring team gets this season plus a priced, guaranteed 2027. The mechanics are in our explainer on how the NFL trade deadline works.
What would a trade do to the Jets’ edge rotation?
It would thin a group the Jets have already patched repeatedly. Braiden McGregor went on injured reserve on October 7 with a chest injury, Joseph Ossai has no sacks in three games, and behind Bailey and Enagbare the depth is practice-squad churn. Against that sits a plain case for selling: the Jets are 2-4, Bailey is the long-term starter, and McDonald’s 2027 money is real. Our Week 6 recap of the loss at New England showed how little margin this defense has been given.
When does this get decided?
By 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10. The Jets host Miami on Sunday, October 25 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and Las Vegas on November 1, and those two results will shape whether the front office behaves like a buyer or a seller. More sits in our Jets analysis section.
Frequently asked questions
Is Will McDonald being traded?
No trade has been reported. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported only that McDonald is expected to draw trade inquiries again, which is interest rather than a deal.
How many sacks does Will McDonald have in 2026?
Two, in six games with one start. He also has 12 combined tackles, four quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
When is the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET, per the dates the NFL announced.
How much is Will McDonald’s fifth-year option worth?
It is worth a guaranteed $13.752 million for 2027, which keeps him under team control through that season.
Who leads the Jets in sacks this season?
David Bailey, with five in six games. Kingsley Enagbare and McDonald are next with two each.
When do the Jets play next?
They host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. The Jets are 2-4 after losing 26-19 at New England.