Aaron Donald’s return to the Los Angeles Rams came with a one-year, $20 million deal, and the immediate assumption around the league was pretty straightforward: maybe the 35-year-old would be used in a reduced role.
Ian Rapoport isn’t on board with that idea.
The NFL insider pushed back on the notion that Donald is walking back into the Rams’ defense as a part-time piece, even though that kind of workload has been floated as a possibility. Rapoport acknowledged the idea that Donald could be limited to 10 to 15 plays a game, but he said that’s not how he sees it playing out once the games get tight.
“Part of me wants to say ‘expect Aaron Donald to come in and be a part-time player.' I know the player too well.
And I know human nature too well. We can talk about how he can come in and play 10 to 15 plays a game and sure, that's a possibility,” Rapoport explained.
“But with the game on the line, even in the trenches during the third and fourth quarter, he's going to want to play.”
Rapoport’s read is that Donald will be more than a situational presence.
“I expect him to be a full-time contributor,” Rapoport said. “However many snaps that is, we shall see.”
Donald’s decision also puts him in position to pair with fellow NFL DPOY winner Myles Garrett, whom the Rams added via trade in June. That gives Los Angeles two former Defensive Player of the Year winners on the same defensive line, a rare setup across the league.
Rapoport’s comments suggest he doesn’t expect Sean McVay to hold Donald to a strict snap count. And around the same time Donald’s signing became official, the San Francisco 49ers made their own move, trading for Jarrett Patterson of the Houston Texans to strengthen their protection.
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