I wrote an article earlier this offseason that discussed a report that outlined how New York Jets edge rusher Will McDonald IV was disappointed with his year 1 performance and aimed to breakout in year 2.

As part of the article that I was referencing by Rich Cimini of ESPN, it was specifically noted that Will McDonald IV looked to add some weight to be better prepared to play against the run.

Since then, training camp reports have emerged that McDonald failed in his goal to add weight.

Will McDonald is the same weight as last year, per Saleh. As for whether McDonald can be a three-down player, Saleh invokes a Steph Curry comparison, saying, “Steph Curry can drive the lane and post up with other guards, too, but you want him shooting his three pointer.” He says…

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) July 29, 2024

Given the stated aim for McDonald, this failure can be viewed as a troubling sign for his potential 2024 breakout potential. More specifically, his weight seems likely to prevent him from earning a three-down role at the bare minimum, limiting his upside.

Further casting doubt on McDonald’s breakout prospects, his training camp reps have been limited within base sets, which again might reflect that an every down role is not planned for McDonald. Specificially, Cimini wrote the following on August 4th;

2. Not-so-Big Mac: Haason Reddick’s holdout has provided the Jets with an opportunity to flaunt their depth at defensive end. After all, how many teams have the luxury of taking a former first-round pick off the bench and plugging him into the lineup?

Not many, except that’s not what’s happening.

Instead of inserting Will McDonald IV, they’re giving most of the base reps to backup Micheal Clemons. (McDonald has logged a few more overall reps than Clemons and leads all defensive ends in camp.) McDonald, who played only 192 defensive snaps as a rookie, remains a question mark one year after being drafted No. 15 overall.

With all of this in mind, the New York Jets first preseason game on August 10th takes on a bit more meaning for McDonald. In particular, McDonald’s usage on run downs is likely worth monitoring, as is his snap count overall.