Aaron Donald’s return to the Los Angeles Rams has already changed the conversation around Week 1, but it hasn’t settled it.
The defensive tackle announced he was coming back before the Rams trimmed their roster to 53 on Sunday, ending his retirement after the 2023 season and rejoining a team with another Super Bowl in its sights. The timing, though, leaves one big question hanging over the opener against the San Francisco 49ers: will Donald actually be ready to play?
Head coach Sean McVay didn’t close the door on it Monday, but he also didn’t sound like a man counting on it.
“I wouldn't rule anything out yet,” said head coach Sean McVay on Monday. “What I think is really good for us is if he's able to go, great.
If not, that’s how we've been operating as is, and guys have done an excellent job of being able to do some really cool stuff in the meantime. And so, if he’s not ready and that is not what is best for him and for the team, absolutely wouldn't have him play in Australia unnecessarily.”
That last part matters. The NFL has given Donald a two-week grace period on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which means he won’t count against a roster spot until he appears in a game. He can stay on that list until September 11, or one day after the Rams’ first matchup with the 49ers.
So yes, Week 1 is on the table. But it’s far from guaranteed.
The Rams would love to have Donald available for a game like this, especially with the 49ers coming first. At the same time, the trip to Australia complicates the picture, and it’s fair to wonder whether that long haul is something Donald even wants to make while he’s still getting himself ready.
There is at least one parallel worth noting. When Donald held out before the 2018 season, he returned about 10 days before Week 1 and still played against the Raiders to open the year. The timing feels similar this time around.
But the situation itself is not. Back then, Donald was coming off a Defensive Player of the Year season and had not spent two full years away from the team. This time, he’s coming back after a longer break, and even if he’s in shape, there’s still the separate task of getting into football shape and back into the Rams’ rhythm.
Donald framed it simply when asked about his approach.
“I'm here to just go day-by-day,” said Donald. “So day-by-day, just work, grind, get myself to where I need to be at the level that I want to play at, and that's all I can do.
Ain't rushing anything. Like I said, just continue to stack days and see where we’re at.”
That makes Week 1 feel less like a certainty and more like a true game-time call, possibly one made shortly before the Rams head to Melbourne. If Donald is ready, the team will make room for him. If not, they’ve already spent the summer operating without him, and they believe they have enough depth up front to manage until he’s set.
The Rams are treating this like a long game, even with the opener looming. Week 1 against the 49ers matters, but Donald being fresh in December and January matters more. If the safest path is to let him miss the opener and target the home opener at SoFi Stadium, that may end up being the smarter move.
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