Aaron Glenn Must Put His Money Where His Mouth Is After His Will McDonald IV Comments

Despite a 2-7 record and a four-game losing streak going into Sunday's divisional game against the Bills, it was a quiet trade deadline for the Jets as they decided to keep their roster together for the second half of the season and try to salvage something from a disastrous start.

Aside from trading safety Andre Cisco to the Lions, which was not all that surprising considering the diminished role and expiring contract he had anyway, the Jets stayed put while other teams like the Jaguars and Vikings went out and made some big moves.

One player who was among those expected to be traded was defensive end Will McDonald IV, who has expressed his frustration over his reduced snap count. That said, the fourth-year DE has the second-most sacks on the team this season (three) behind rookie David Bailey (7.5) and head coach Aaron Glenn believes he has earned a bigger role.

"His pass rush is second to none and he's been in a lot of those situations where he can rush the passer," Glenn said in his Wednesday press conference (h/t SNY Jets). "And it's just my job to make sure I put him in position to play more because he is improving and I've always said this that you earn the right to play and he's doing that."

Aaron Glenn says Will McDonald has earned a bigger role:

"His pass rush is second to none" pic.twitter.com/oWcbE0KqdU
— SNY Jets (@snyjets) November 11, 2026

While you could argue that Gang Green's inactive trade deadline was not necessarily a bad thing and said a lot about the Jets' future plans, the inability to get the most out of their best players and put them in a position to succeed has been a recurring issue for Glenn and this coaching staff.

They ultimately decided to keep McDonald around after the frustrated DE requested a trade, but if Glenn is so confident in his pass rush and giving him a bigger role, it is time to prove it on the field by putting McDonald in situations where he can go out there and back his coach's talk up.

Aaron Glenn needs to back up talk by giving Will McDonald IV more opportunities

While the doors opened after some missed opportunities at the trade headline, McDonald certainly emerged as a clear loser. Although he still has one year remaining on his rookie deal with a fully guaranteed fifth-year option for next season, he has been relegated to more of a situational role this season and has gone from a primary pass rusher to a third-down specialist who has played less than 50% of the team's defensive snaps in 2026.

Since the Jets have shifted to a 3-4 base front that has put more of the attention on Bailey and Kingsley Enagbare, McDonald has not exactly been put in the best positions to effectively rush the passer to be able to utilize his athleticism and make the most of the opportunities he has had through nine weeks.

New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV (9) against the Las Vegas Raiders. — New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV (9) celebrates after a sack as the New York Jets play Las Vegas Raiders in a week 8 NFL football game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As someone who can deploy a signature spin move and create a burst off the line of scrimmage, lining McDonald up wider could allow him to use his speed instead of taking on double-teams and being limited in his pass rush.

With the attention that Bailey is rightfully creating due to his elite play so far, pairing McDonald alongside him more frequently in nickel and dime fronts would take some of the focus away from him and free him up to create some pressure.

If Glenn can do that and move him around to make use of his agility against the slower linemen, in addition to keeping McDonald fresh for early downs and passing situations, he could maximize his pass rush skills instead of being put in a precarious position against power run schemes, an area he has struggled in.

What Will McDonald IV's workload should look like in Week 10 and beyond

Considering the Jets have three first-round draft picks and will most likely use a high-value pick on the edge, McDonald is still at the top of the list of current Jets who could be leaving in the offseason.

It simply would not make much sense for Gang Green to hold onto the former first-rounder if the snap count does not see much of an uptick, but Glenn's comments say otherwise, assuming he actually backs the talk up or is just using coach speak.

Despite playing on a defensive front that has battled its share of injuries this season, McDonald has been nowhere near the 66% of defensive snaps that he played across his last two seasons with the Jets. With an explosive Bills passing attack led by quarterback Josh Allen up next, it is paramount that McDonald resembles a similar snap count to the last two seasons—roughly 60-65%—while taking on a reduced role on special teams to preserve his stamina.

Glenn has doubled down on the process despite possessing a 5-21 record with the Jets. He and McDonald may both be on their way out of Gotham by season's end, but if he truly wants to back up his comments and put his money where his mouth is, he may be wise to let McDonald show what he can do over the final eight games as the season continues to get away from the Jets anyway.

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