The Rams are making the long trip to Australia with the whole operation intact, Aaron Donald included, as they prepare for their season opener against the 49ers, Sean McVay said Friday, according to ESPN's Sarah Barshop.
That does not mean Donald is locked in for Week 1.
McVay stopped short of saying the defensive tackle will actually suit up in Melbourne, though he did say Donald’s ramp-up since ending his retirement has been "really good."
"Obviously one of the best things you can do is get out there and play football in 11-on-11 settings with pads, your eye progression, taking on some of the double-teams, different things like that," McVay added. "So this week will be a big week for him in terms of how he feels. And then we'll just kind of take it a day at a time and see where he's at.
"If he feels good enough to go, great. If not, I've got a lot of confidence in the other guys that'll be ready to step up if that's the case, that have really gotten all the reps anyways."
Donald signed with the Rams on Sunday on a one-year, $20-million deal that can climb to $30 million with incentives. The eight-time first-team All-Pro had been weighing a return for months.
If he does get on the field against San Francisco, it would be his first game since Jan. 14, 2024. Before retiring, Donald finished his final season with 23 quarterback hits, 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
The 49ers arrived in Melbourne on Friday, while the Rams are set to land in Australia the day before the game. The division rivals meet Sept. 10.
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Former Rams quarterback Jim Everett helped frame the human side of the process, pointing out how hard cutdown day can be for players who spend training camp fighting for a spot and then have to absorb the news all at once. A few of the names that came off the initial roster have already resurfaced on the practice squad, while other players around the league, like running back Jarquez Hunter, have been caught up in trades or waiver decisions, a reminder that this part of the calendar is rarely tidy for anyone involved. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Defensive Line Shakeup Just Added Intrigue To Rams Opener
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Kareems arrival adds a familiar wrinkle, too, since he previously played for Raheem Morris in Atlanta and gives San Francisco another body in the rotation. Okuayinonu has been ruled out for the Melbourne game and will be sidelined for at least four games under league rules, leaving the 49ers to sort out how much of their depth can be rebuilt in time for a matchup that already carried plenty of early-season weight for the Rams. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Donald's Rams Return Came Amid A Troubling Off-Field Fight
Aaron Donalds return to the Rams came against a backdrop that had nothing to do with football. Before he put pen to paper on his one-year comeback deal with Los Angeles, Donald had already been pulled into a family dispute playing out in court, where he sought the removal of a French bulldog from the home of his ex, Jaelynn Blakey, saying the animal posed a danger to their children.
Court filings showed the issue centered on claims that the dog had bitten the children, while Blakey disputed that it was dangerous. A later stipulation indicated the dog was removed, and only after that off-field fight had unfolded did Donald confirm what Rams fans were waiting to hear: he was back in the fold for another season in Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]