Will McDonald IV sees crazy Jets future with Jermaine Johnson after falling short of sacks goal

After Thursday’s practice, Will McDonald IV sat quietly at his locker stall, his head buried in his tablet reviewing film.McDonald may be one of the Jets’ few bright spots in an otherwise underwhelming season.But the second-year defensive end is far from satisfied with what he’s accomplished.“I actually didn’t reach my goal,” McDonald said.McDonald leads the Jets with 10 sacks this season — an impressive jump from his rookie campaign, during which he logged just three in limited playing time.McDonald’s sack count is the 10th-best mark in the league.

Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams has the team’s second-most sacks with six.But with two games remaining on the Jets’ schedule, McDonald knows it’s unlikely he’ll reach his target of 18 sacks.“I got a higher standard for myself than everybody else,” said McDonald, who aims to break the Jets’ record of 22 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 again, it’s a start.“I’m glad, you know, what I have now,” McDonald said.

“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 accomplished this season is a surprise to him.He knew the type of player he could be for the Jets when they drafted him with the No.

15-overall pick in 2023.He just needed a chance to showcase what he could do.The former Iowa State star spent most of his rookie season on the sidelines.McDonald knew that if he wanted to be entrusted with a larger role in his second season, he had to put another level of dedication into his offseason regimen.McDonald hired a chef along with two trainers — one who specialized in agility and another in strength training.

He gained roughly 10 pounds and improved his burst.His spin move — one of the favorites in his pass-rush arsenal — is crisper and faster.Through i...