What Does New York Jets' Haason Reddick Trade Mean for Will McDonald?

The New York Jets traded for edge rusher Haason Reddick. Is the writing on the wall for second-year pass rusher Will McDonald?

Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (31) is / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas has struck again.

On Friday, he swung a trade with his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a deal for edge rusher Haason Reddick. The compensation – a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could become a second-rounder – has divided Jets fans, but there’s reason to believe New York got better on the edge, one of the sport’s most important positions.

Reddick will slide in as a starter but joins a group of edge rushers that includes John Franklin-Myers and former first-round picks Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald, the latter of which enters his second season in a bit of a predicament.

Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (31) is / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

After a mild rookie campaign, McDonald was poised to take over Huff’s role as a pass-rush specialist on passing downs, sacrificing snaps against the run for the opportunity to pin his ears back. The Reddick acquisition puts that in doubt.

Although Jets head coach Robert Saleh hasn’t shied away from rotations before, there’s a difference between keeping guys fresh and deliberately taking high-level players off the field. 

Reddick posted 11 sacks last season and 50.5 in the last four seasons. He’s one of the most proven pass rushers in the sport, even if his career got off to a slow start, and entering his age-30 season should not yet be worrisome. Also, unlike Huff – who played just 134 snaps against the run last season – Reddick can stay on the field for early downs (262 snaps vs. the run in 2023) and is competent despite it not being his strength.

Thus, McDonald’s role isn’t primed to expand in Year 2. Johnson was great last season, and Franklin-Myers was used almost exclusively on the edge last year, rather than the hybrid role he has seen in the past. He may see more of those reps now, especially in obvious passing situations.

Still, there isn’t a ton of room for teams to play their fourth-best pass rusher, especially in the middle of a playoff race New York hopes to find itself in. 

The McDonald pick was questionable at the time. He wasn’t a consensus first-round talent and other needs could have taken precedence – especially on the other side of the ball – and the Jets weren’t lacking in the pass-rush department. None of that matters, now, though. McDonald’s standing as a selection – bust or star, breakout or bystander – only matters through the lens of his 2024 production. He posted three sacks in 2023.

Reddick taking some of his snaps and temporarily limiting opportunities doesn’t have to be horrible, though. As Zack Rosenblatt pointed out, the Jets expect him to improve regardless, and now there’s less pressure on him to carry that load.

“I view the Haason Reddick trade as a net positive for Will McDonald,” he wrote. “Reduces the pressure on him to replace Bryce Huff. If the Jets are carrying more leads, there will be more pass rush opportunities – so there will be snaps available for him to contribute.

“If he takes the leap from Year 1 to Year 2 that the Jets expect, he can laser in on dominating his pass-rushing reps – while also learning from someone like Reddick. If he bulks up, McDonald has the tools to make an impact.”

It would be lofty, and perhaps unrealistic, to toss significant expectations upon McDonald in his second season. His development in 2024 could go a long way in determining the long-term fate of Reddick in New York and the team’s sustainable ability to hunt down opposing quarterbacks.