Aaron Donald wait continues; Rams giving him no timeline
The retired defensive tackle's decision deadline keeps shifting, and the Rams are content to let the process play out.
The wait for Aaron Donald continues. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that the Rams are giving the retired defensive tackle no timeline as he weighs a potential return to the field.
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: The wait for Aaron Donald continues, with the #Rams giving him no timeline.
Donald's target for making a decision has been shifting. It moved from early this week to late this week, and with the weekend here he still hasn't made a call. He wants to be sure he'll be the same player he always was if he comes back, and he's taking as much time as he needs to project whether his workouts will translate to dominance.
If Donald returns, the Rams would ramp him up the way they did after his 2017 and 2018 contract-driven holdouts. There's also the question of his contract: he has one year remaining on the three-year post-Super Bowl deal at $30 million, so the two sides would need to agree to payment terms for 2026.
Donald could, if he chooses, let it ride all the way until the Tuesday after Week 13 reinstatement deadline. But with three weeks and five days until the Week 1 game against the 49ers in Australia, at some point there may not be enough time to get him ready to play.