Aaron Donald is back, and that changes the entire picture for the 49ers before a single snap of Week 1.
The 10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle has officially unretired and will rejoin the Los Angeles Rams, a move that lands with immediate force in the NFC West and sends San Francisco into its opener with a fresh problem to solve. The 49ers and Rams are set to travel on a 17-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia, for the season opener, and Donald’s return gives Los Angeles a major boost while putting more pressure on John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to adjust.
For San Francisco, the headline is obvious: Aaron Donald vs. Deebo Samuel is back on the menu.
That rivalry has been one of the league’s most entertaining side stories for years, dating to Samuel’s rookie season. It includes Donald’s well-known “Who?”
response when asked about the receiver, along with Samuel’s own dismissal of Donald and his habit of trolling the Rams on social media after 49ers wins. Samuel and San Francisco have usually had the better of those regular-season meetings, but this version of Donald is a different kind of challenge - rested, reloaded, and back in the middle of a division fight.
The bigger issue for the 49ers may be what Donald’s return means up front.
Los Angeles already added reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett through a trade earlier this offseason, and putting Garrett on the edge with Donald inside creates a front that can wreck protection plans in a hurry. That’s especially bad news for a San Francisco offensive line dealing with uncertainty at left guard.
To help absorb the pressure, the 49ers may have to look at free-agent depth, with Laken Tomlinson and Daniel Brunskill mentioned as possible options. Brunskill, in particular, has history working against Donald from his time in the Bay.
The contrast between the two defensive lines is stark. The Rams now have an elite core built around Garrett and Donald, with Kobie Turner and Byron Young also part of the picture. The 49ers, meanwhile, are trying to get through physical issues of their own, with Nick Bosa dealing with knee tendinitis after last year’s ACL tear, rookie Mykel Williams uncertain for Week 1, and Alfred Collins still working through preseason adjustment periods.
Lynch addressed Donald’s comeback on Monday and didn’t hide the respect San Francisco has for the move.
"Yeah, I mean, the guy’s different, right? He’s an exceptional player, one of the greats," Lynch told reporters.
"I do subscribe to that. I think we’re pretty good too.
They got better, certainly, with him deciding to come out of retirement... I ran into him in a hotel somewhere a while back and we had some fun chatter back and forth.
Never thought he’d do it, but he’s doing it. And so, we better get ready for it."
There is still one wrinkle: Donald may not even play in Week 1. Rams head coach Sean McVay said the team will watch his conditioning closely before deciding how many snaps he gets.
"Oh, yeah, absolutely. [Donald not playing in Week 1] could be a possibility," McVay said.
"I wouldn't rule anything out yet. I think sometimes when you put unnecessary parameters or guidelines on something it can skew things."
In Other News...
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The Rams intend to arrive the day before the game and leave immediately afterward, while the 49ers are planning to get there several days early to adjust to the time difference. That difference has prompted some outside debate about which approach is smarter for handling jetlag, with neurologist W. Christopher Winter suggesting the Rams shorter stay could actually be the better way to manage the trip. [Read more 🡒]