Jets Linebacker Will McDonald Requests Trade Before Tuesday Deadline
Jets linebacker Will McDonald has asked to be traded before Tuesday afternoon's NFL deadline, according to a report. Teams have called New York about the 2023 first-round pick, but the Jets have not entered talks. He has played less than half their defensive snaps this season.
New York Jets linebacker Will McDonald has requested a trade ahead of the NFL deadline on Tuesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport reported on Monday, November 9, 2026. Teams have called the Jets about him, but New York has not entered discussions on a deal.
The request adds another complication to a losing season for the Jets. The team has balked at the idea of trading running back Breece Hall or wide receiver Garrett Wilson, but McDonald is hoping the club will let him go.
A smaller role this season
McDonald spent most of the last two seasons as a starter. This season he has been in a rotational role and has played less than half of the team's defensive snaps.
His numbers this year are 16 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He has 24.5 career sacks.
Contract and draft status
The Jets selected McDonald in the first round of the 2023 draft. They picked up his fifth-year option before this season, which keeps him under contract beyond the current year.
He is set to carry a $14.475 cap hit in 2027. That figure is part of what any interested team would take on if the Jets agreed to a deal.
Rapoport reported that other clubs have contacted New York, though the Jets have not engaged with any of them to this point. Whether that changes depends on what happens before the deadline passes.
The answer arrives by Tuesday afternoon. McDonald will either still be in a Jets uniform or trying to add to his career sack total with a new team.
