The San Francisco 49ers already traded for DeForest Buckner. They got Nick Bosa back Sunday. And they still went an entire game without sacking Kirk Cousins.
One day before the NFL trade deadline, a pass rusher with 24.5 sacks in 56 career games is asking for a way out of New York. Jets defensive end Will McDonald IV has requested a trade after growing frustrated with his playing time, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday, Nov. 9.
McDonald gives San Francisco another edge option to consider before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. The catch is getting the Jets to talk. Teams have already called about McDonald, and New York has yet to engage, Pro Football Talk reported, citing Rapoport.
McDonald has played sparingly this season and is extremely frustrated with his usage. The former first-rounder wants more opportunities and the team is aware.
Why Will McDonald IV Fits the 49ers’ Pass Rush
San Francisco’s pursuit of Buckner led to an Oct. 28 deal that sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts. That addressed the middle of the line. McDonald would give the 49ers another way to get to the quarterback from the outside.
Sunday showed where the opening is. The 49ers beat the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17 and intercepted Cousins three times, but he came out of the game without taking a sack. Buckner registered two quarterback hits in his first game back with San Francisco, according to the official gamebook.
McDonald had 10.5 sacks in 2024 and has three in nine games this season, according to NFL.com. The Jets changed their defensive front and added No. 2 overall pick David Bailey and veterans Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare this year, pushing McDonald into a situational role, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported.
The 49ers could use McDonald on obvious passing downs opposite Bosa, with Buckner working inside. An offense sliding protection toward Bosa would have to account for another proven edge rusher on the other side. That’s a specific job McDonald could fill right away.
– He had a good relationship with the previous staff and felt empowered by them.
– As his role dwindled with this staff this season he tried to talk to coaches about how he can get on the field more, which included
A Day 3 Pick Is Only Part of the Cost for San Francisco
49ers analyst Brian Peacock put wide receiver first and edge second on his list of likely trade targets. He floated a modest Day 3 pick as a price that would make McDonald an appealing fit. That’s Peacock’s valuation. The Jets’ asking price and San Francisco’s interest in McDonald remain unknown.
The draft pick would be only one part of the deal. The Jets exercised McDonald’s fifth-year option in April, and Cimini reported that McDonald is owed about $13.8 million guaranteed in 2027. An acquiring team would get him for the rest of this season and have him under contract next year. It would also have to budget for that salary.
That changes the question for John Lynch. A late pick could make sense for help on third down during a playoff run. The guaranteed money gives the 49ers a second decision to make before Tuesday afternoon. Does McDonald figure into their 2027 rotation often enough to justify that salary?
San Francisco 49ers Get Trade Request News Before Deadline