Jets Exercise Will McDonald IV's 5th-Year Contract Option, 2027 Salary Revealed

The New York Jets have locked in one of their top pass rushers for at least two more seasons.

The Jets activated Will McDonald IV's $14.5 million option for the 2027 season.

McDonald is currently set to play the 2026 season under a $5.2 million cap hit in the fourth year of his rookie deal, per Spotrac.

The club option is then set to kick in ahead of McDonald's age-28 campaign in 2027.

McDonald was originally selected by the Jets in the 2023 draft as a first-round pick out of Iowa State.

He established himself as a key defensive starter with a breakout sophomore season in 2024, during which he led all Jets defenders with 10.5 sacks in 17 games and 15 starts.

McDonald recorded 8.0 more sacks through 15 games of the 2025 campaign before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 16.

He had taken a step back in terms of overall defense earlier that season, ranking 43rd among edge defenders in pressures (42) prior to his injury, per Pro Football Focus.

The Jets' decision to activate his contract option could be seen as a vote of confidence McDonald will be able to bounce back and remain a top defensive option when healthy.

Last season was overall a rough campaign for the Jets' defense, which ranked 25th in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed.

The Jets will hope to build a stronger defensive unit going forward, featuring McDonald and potentially a top defender from the 2026 NFL draft. New York is heading into April with a trio of top-35 picks, including the No. 2, No. 16 and No. 33 selections.