5 Jets Officially on Thin Ice After Crushing Loss to Bears (Will McDonald IV's Outlook Plummets)

It's safe to say that certain members of Gang Green are trending in the wrong direction.

Will McDonald IV is among the Jets who are clearly on thin ice after the first four games of the 2026 NFL season. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Through four games to begin the 2026 NFL season, the Jets own an uninspiring 1-3 record. Losing to the Bears on Sunday marked their third straight loss, leaving Gang Green in danger of seeing their season slip away before it even begins.

There are a number of reasons why the Jets have struggled as of late, and rising pressure and expectations have left five players and coaches on thin ice heading into Week 5 and beyond.

Let's dive into that list.

1. Jowon Briggs, DT

When the Jets first acquired Jowon Briggs last offseason, the team hoped he would be the kind of consistent interior pass rusher they needed. Four games into his first full year with the team, and not only has Briggs struggled, but he's been borderline unplayable throughout the year.

Briggs ranks as the 114th-best defensive tackle in the game this year, with a grade of 44.5 on Pro Football Focus. His pressure rate sits at 137th in the league. His run defense, always considered a weakness before, has him ranked 123rd at his position.

Jowon Briggs must do a better job of making his presence felt on the interior of the Jets' defensive line. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In short, Briggs is unplayable right now. Unless something changes, this acquisition could end up being a bust in its second year.

2. Will McDonald IV, DE

We know sacks come in bunches for Will McDonald IV. We also know that he is in a key contract year and needs to show something on the field to be worthy of getting a long-term extension.

Instead, McDonald has been almost like a ghost on the field. Sure, he recorded the only pressure recorded by Jets edge rushers on Sunday, but he remains a weakness in run defense and isn't making enough impact plays when it comes to getting close to the quarterback.

It's safe to say McDonald has been one of the more consistent players on the defense simply because he's stayed healthy and isn't terrible, but for a first-round pick and someone who wants a new deal, production has to follow.

And there's been nothing close to that so far.

3. Joseph Ossai, DE

Remember when the Jets signed Joseph Ossai in free agency to a deal worth $13 million per year? The argument was that Ossai simply didn't play enough, but he was a solid rotational piece with the Bengals, recording five sacks in each of the last two years.

Through two games, Ossai, like McDonald, has been a nonfactor.

The Jets might be having major buyer's remorse after seeing how Joseph Ossai's season has gone so far. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through two games and 85 snaps, Ossai has zero pressures, zero quarterback hits, zero sacks, nine tackles, and has been one of the worst run stoppers on the team. That's not going to cut it if the Jets hope to get the most out of him.

So far, Ossai has looked more like Carl Lawson than Trey Hendrickson. While he missed most of camp with an injury, there's gotta be more production going forward.

4. Demario Davis, LB

It has not been a very good reunion for Jets linebacker and captain Demario Davis. The 37-year-old was called for multiple penalties in Sunday's loss and looked slow in coverage.

To summarize, it looks like Father Time has finally caught up with him.

PFF has Davis graded as the 64th-ranked linebacker (51.0) out of 74 qualified players in the NFL so far this season. He's also been credited with seven missed tackles this season.

The Jets are stuck with Davis for the remainder of the season. They have no one who can confidently get the rest of the unit lined up correctly, and he's still an important locker-room presence. But when an elite player loses a step, it tends to be obvious and cascades into further struggles.

The worse Davis plays, the harder it will be for the Jets to claim that his leadership alone is enough to keep him on the field.

5. 2026 coaching staff

It truly is now or never for the Jets coaching staff.

Many fans will point to the start the 2022 Lions had (1-6) before they rattled off a bunch of wins, but the Jets don't necessarily have the kind of schedule to help them as head coach Aaron Glenn's former team did.

If the Jets are going to turn into a winner, they can not afford to wait until the latter months of the season. It has to happen now. Glenn is 4-17 through 21 games. That isn't going to cut it at all.

Continuing with the status quo likely won't leave head coach Aaron Glenn with a job for much longer. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And that goes for the entire coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich cannot have some games where the offense looks competent and others—like on Sunday—where the Jets fail to pick up a single third-down conversion.

While the defensive numbers have been better than last season, Gang Green is getting killed by elite offenses.

It's not enough to accept those results. They have to be better. And with the team already 1-3, it isn't exactly rocket science to point out why the coaching staff is on thin ice.

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