After Thursday’s apply, Will McDonald IV sat quietly at his locker stall, his head buried in his pill reviewing movie.
McDonald could also be one of many Jets’ few brilliant spots in an in any other case underwhelming season.
However the second-year defensive finish is way from happy with what he’s completed.
“I actually didn’t reach my goal,” McDonald stated.
McDonald leads the Jets with 10 sacks this season — a formidable soar from his rookie marketing campaign, throughout which he logged simply three in restricted taking part in time.
McDonald’s sack rely is the Tenth-best mark within the league.
Jets defensive sort out Quinnen Williams has the workforce’s second-most sacks with six.
However with two video games remaining on the Jets’ schedule, McDonald is aware of it’s unlikely he’ll attain his goal of 18 sacks.
“I got a higher standard for myself than everybody else,” stated McDonald, who goals to interrupt the Jets’ report of twenty-two sacks in a single season set by Mark Gastineau in 1984. “So for me, it’s still good but it’s not what I wanted to be, and it’s not how I wanted to finish out the season.”
Then once more, it’s a begin.
“I’m glad, you know, what I have now,” McDonald stated. “I now know that I can be able to be that 10-plus sack guy, and keep going up from there.”
Nothing of what McDonald has completed this season is a shock to him.
He knew the kind of participant he could possibly be for the Jets once they drafted him with the No. 15-overall decide in 2023.
He simply wanted an opportunity to showcase what he might do.
The previous Iowa State star spent most of his rookie season on the sidelines.
McDonald knew that if he wished to be entrusted with a bigger function in his second season, he needed to put one other stage of dedication into his offseason routine.
McDonald employed a chef together with two trainers — one who specialised in agility and one other in power coaching.
He gained roughly 10 kilos and improved his burst.
His spin transfer — one of many favorites in his pass-rush arsenal — is crisper and sooner.
Via all of it, although, McDonald stated his mentality hasn’t modified.
“The more opportunities I got I was just taking advantage of those because I was the same player as I was last year, I just didn’t get as many plays,” McDonald stated. “Now, this year, I was able to get those opportunities and make something out of it. So I’ve always known I’ve had this mentality. I just never got a chance to really show it last year. So just keep balling out like I am now and from here, keep turning up more sacks, doing my thing.”
McDonald doesn’t need to go away something to probability.
“You don’t want to arrive late to the party,” he stated. “I want to start now, [with building] my legacy.”
The Jets have so much to determine this offseason.
Hiring a head coach and common supervisor, figuring out quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ future, and deciding on the workforce’s path are only some of issues on a listing that’s so long as a CVS receipt.
However McDonald sees causes to be optimistic about what’s to return.
He believes he’ll solely proceed to get higher.
He additionally thinks he and Jermaine Johnson could be a deadly defensive duo subsequent season when the Jets’ 2022 first-round decide is again within the combine after lacking most of this season with a torn Achilles tendon.
“Future is gonna be crazy,” McDonald stated. “We’re positively gonna be one of many higher duos on the sphere.
“Jermaine is definitely a good edge rusher. Taught me a lot of things, [Haason Reddick] taught me a lot of things. … But I think with us, we can be those types of athletes that can be moved around anywhere, do whatever, pass rush, drop. We got a lot of agility. … Me and Jermaine, it’s going to be something you’re just gonna have to see.”
The Jets have been eradicated from the playoffs earlier this month, extending the franchise’s postseason drought to 14 years.
With the Jets heading to Buffalo on Sunday, McDonald stated the workforce nonetheless has “faith” it may well end the season on some form of a excessive be aware.
On a extra private stage, McDonald is hoping to complete the season sturdy.
“I just want to continue to ball out these last two games … just still be able to put that film out there no matter what the record is,” he stated. “I just want to still be able to ball up, just get my name out there, just getting the respect that I deserve.”
Taking part in spoiler to Josh Allen’s MVP marketing campaign can be a pleasant comfort prize, too.
“Yeah, I mean you’d love to do it,” he stated. “You love to make plays, do what you need to do.”
