Aaron Donald’s return has turned into one of the biggest questions hanging over the Rams’ season, and the answer still isn’t clear. What does seem clear is that this isn’t some publicity stunt. Donald is reportedly in football shape, already working through drills, and looks like the same seasoned veteran who spent years wrecking offenses.
The real debate is how much the Rams will ask of him once the games start. After nearly three years away from football, it would be no surprise if his workload came along slowly. Ian Rapoport raised the issue of whether Donald would have a limited role and for how long, and that makes sense given how little time he has spent back with his teammates.
Even so, the expectation is that Donald will eventually be a full-time starter. The safer projection puts him in the 500-700 snap range this season, with his workload increasing as he gets used to life back in the NFL trenches. A useful comparison is nose tackle Poona Ford, who logged 508 snaps in 2025.
The bigger mystery is whether Donald shows up in Week 1 at all. That question has become part of the Rams’ cat-and-mouse approach, and it’s leaving the San Francisco 49ers with plenty to sort through as they prepare for the matchup in Australia.
If Donald does not play, the 49ers would still have to deal with a strong Rams front. Edge rushers Myles Garrett and Byron Young would still create problems, though San Francisco would at least have some confidence in handling the workload.
If Donald is added to the mix, everything changes. Blocking plans would have to account for both Donald and Garrett, and that would leave other rushers such as Young or Kobie Turner in one-on-one situations more often. San Francisco can’t know which version of the Rams’ defense it will see, and that uncertainty is part of the point.
For now, the league is left waiting on the same question: will Donald play, and when? The Rams may be perfectly happy to keep that answer quiet a little longer if it helps them in Melbourne.
In Other News...
Rams Roster Cuts Already Stir Debate Over Who Really Got A Fair Shot
The Rams roster cutdown day brought the usual churn, trimming the group from 90 to 53 and forcing some difficult calls that immediately fueled debate about how certain players were evaluated. Cornerback Cam Lampkin landing on the practice squad after clearing waivers was one of the more notable outcomes, the kind of move that tends to make fans and evaluators alike wonder whether every player got the same chance to show what he could do.
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
The Rams season opener in Melbourne just got a little more complicated, because the 49ers are already adjusting their defensive front before the teams even take the field. San Francisco signed Khalid Kareem to a one-year contract and sent Sam Okuayinonu to injured reserve with a foot injury, a move that thins out the line and forces an early reshuffle for a defense that the Rams were already preparing to study closely.
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 🡒]