TMZ Sports released footage of Los Angeles Rams franchise legend Aaron Donald working out at the team’s practice facilities as he reportedly considers a 2026 comeback.
Usually it’s a bad sign for fans when TMZ reports on star players. In this case, fans will likely be excited about the news and it will only fuel the fires surrounding a potential return.
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It’s not out of the ordinary for Donald to be seen around the team facilities. Watching him on the practice field engaged in what seem like football-adjacent activities does raise eyebrows.
Donald last took the field for the Rams in 2024. At age 35, can he overcome two years of inactivity to aid LA in a Super Bowl run? The Rams don’t necessarily need him to play at an elite level with Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and other newcomers now in the fold. Adding a player of Donald’s caliber and championship resume will only be beneficial to the team.
If Donald eventually announces his return, what would the impact be to the depth chart and defensive line rotation? I wrote some thoughts on this question earlier this week:
It’s true that their were signs of decline in Donald’s final two players years over 2022 and 2023. He was still an elite defender over those seasons by any realistic standard, although he previously had set the bar at an unattainable level.
From his second year in 2015 through the Rams’ championship season in 2021, the star’s PFF defensive grade ranged from 92.6 at its lowest to a peak of 94.8. His final two seasons were still high but evidently lower at 90.5 and 90.8, respectively. Donald also missed time to injury in 2022 (which Rams didn’t that year?) and played only 615 total snaps—the lowest mark of his career…
Say Donald plays 400-600 snaps mostly as a designated interior pass rusher. He’s demonstrated the last time he was on the field that he is still elite at chasing after opposing quarterbacks. Even if he’s taken a step back after two years away, he should still be able to produce at a level that elevates the Rams’ defense and a value-add beyond what Turner and Fiske bring to the table.
Los Angeles doesn’t need Donald to make the playoffs, and putting mileage on his tires during the regular season could diminish his ability to contribute in the postseason. The team could use him towards the end of games to seal the outcome, but we shouldn’t expect to see him often in the first quarter.
Will Donald soon say he’s returning to the NFL? Well, it’s a rumor until it isn’t.
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