The NY Jets had high expectations when they used the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald. And while the team does still have high hopes, they'd like to see some of his potential begin to materialize.
McDonald flashed his upside as a pass rusher in his limited playing time as a rookie, and the team hoped that he could take on a larger role in his second NFL season. Part of that hinged on him bulking up and improving his overall game in the offseason, however.
McDonald showed up to camp weighing roughly the same, around 235 pounds, as he did a year ago, despite stating that he planned to add weight. His current placement on the depth chart is indicative of where the Jets currently see him.
He's a backup — a pass-rush specialist who seems likely to fill the role Bryce Huff did for much of his Jets tenure. For McDonald to increase his role on defense, he's going to need to force the Jets to play him, much like Huff did.
That process continues in tonight's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
Will McDonald has a golden opportunity in tonight's NY Jets preseason game
McDonald needs to prove his worth with his preseason performances. The Jets aren't going to give him many opportunities as a three-down player, even in the preseason. Instead, he needs to prove that his pass-rush prowess makes him impossible to keep off the field.
The good news for McDonald is that the Panthers' offensive line, particularly their backups, presents a golden opportunity to the second-year edge rusher.
Carolina revamped its offensive line in the offseason, adding the likes of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to give the team two new starting guards. However, the Panthers didn't play any of their starters in their first preseason game, and Lewis didn't participate in Thursday's joint practice anyway.
The Panthers have some of the worst offensive line depth in the NFL, and that was on display last week. Carolina allowed 12 pressures and four sacks, while only two of the seven offensive linemen who played for the team earned a Pro Football Focus grade north of 53.0.
One of those players, by far their biggest standout, was second-year guard Chandler Zavala. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Zavala seems likely to miss tonight's game with a hamstring injury.
McDonald should expect to be lined up against the likes of Ricky Lee, Jeremiah Crawford, Badara Traore (who also might not play due to injury), and the recently-signed Tyler Smith at offensive tackle. The Panthers could also be starting players they signed off the street this week at guard.
This is a golden opportunity for McDonald and the entire Jets defensive line to take over tonight's game. McDonald, in particular, needs a standout performance to prove that he deserves more playing time.
Tonight's preseason game needs to be the Will McDonald show. It's time for the former Iowa State star to be unleashed.
