The Jaguars were in the mix for Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV before they pulled off three trades on Monday, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.
New York had reportedly been fielding interest in McDonald for weeks, with at least one offer that included a day two pick. The Jets, though, have stayed firm in their stance: they believe in his talent and want to be patient with his development, even after his role has shrunk.
McDonald’s usage has dropped to 46 percent after he played 66 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the previous two seasons. He reportedly told the team he would prefer a change of scenery.
Jacksonville’s trade activity on Monday makes the McDonald pursuit easier to connect. The Jaguars sent a second- and fifth-round pick to Atlanta for safety Jessie Bates, then dealt a first- and second-round pick to Philadelphia for defensive tackle Jordan Davis. With that kind of draft capital moving around, it’s logical to think Jacksonville could have been one of the teams willing to put a day two pick on the table for McDonald.
McDonald, 27, came to the NFL after a decorated run at Iowa State, where he was a two-year starter, a three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and a first-team All-American in 2021. The Jets took him with the No. 15 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He is now in the fourth year of his four-year, $17,497,690 contract, a deal that included a $9,725,593 signing bonus. The contract also contains a fifth-year option worth $13.752 million fully guaranteed for the 2027 season.
This season, McDonald has played in nine games for New York and has posted 16 total tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
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Seahawks Just Added A Big Name To Fix Their Run Game
The trade market has become one of the more active parts of the NFL calendar in 2024, and Jacksonville has already been part of the movement. The Jaguars have added defensive help through deals for Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux, a clear sign that the front office has not been shy about trying to patch holes while the season is still in motion.
Around the league, the pace has only picked up as the deadline approaches, with 13 in-season trades already completed. Baltimore brought in Jacoby Brissett, Chicago landed Jeffery Simmons and Seattle addressed its own issues by getting guard Quenton Nelson, another reminder that teams are willing to pay for immediate help when they think a roster can still be pushed forward. For Jacksonville, the bigger question is whether its own early moves are enough, or whether the Jaguars will keep working the phones before the market closes. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Made A Jordan Davis Move Fans Need To Unpack
With the trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars have been busy trying to patch up a defense that has been hit by injuries and needed more help in both the secondary and the front seven. In a flurry of moves, Jacksonville added Jordan Davis, Davon Godchaux and Jessie Bates, sending draft picks to the Eagles, Saints and Falcons as part of a clear push to get sturdier on that side of the ball.
For a team trying to stay in the mix, the appeal is obvious: Davis brings size up front, Godchaux adds another body to the interior and Bates gives the back end a proven presence. The cost in picks shows how aggressively Jacksonville is treating this stretch of the season, and it also leaves the bigger question of how quickly all three can settle in and make the defense look more complete. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Thinks The Jaguars Finally Look Like Real Contenders
The Jaguars spent the trade deadline making a clear push to strengthen their defense, adding Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis in moves aimed at raising the ceiling of a roster that already had playoff ambitions. The additions have given the team a different look on paper, and Jacksonville is now working to fold Bates into the lineup as quickly as possible.
Pat McAfee was among those who came away encouraged by the way the Jaguars approached the deadline, seeing the roster upgrades as the kind of moves contenders make when they believe a bigger run is possible. The real test comes immediately, with the Jaguars preparing for Tennessee and the question now is how quickly the new pieces can translate that optimism into something more tangible on the field. [Read more 🡒]