McDonald put in a request for the Jets to trade him ahead of Tuesday's deadline, Ian Rapoport and Rich Cimini of ESPN report.
The 2023 first-round pick racked up 18.5 sacks over the previous two seasons and has three on his ledger through nine games in 2026, but he's seen his playing time tail off with the arrival of No. 2 overall pick David Bailey and the addition of Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. Though McDonald is hopeful to land with a team that can present him with a clearer path to a full-time role, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Monday that McDonald "is going to be here" once the deadline passes, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.