Rams still in limbo as Aaron Donald weighs comeback, McVay says 'everything is up in the air'

The Rams are running out of offseason and still do not know if the best defensive player of his generation is coming back. Aaron Donald, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year who retired after the 2023 season, has worked out with Los Angeles this summer and signaled he is seriously considering a return — but he has not told the franchise he is playing, and the opener is less than two weeks away.

Coach Sean McVay made clear after Thursday's preseason finale that the uncertainty extends to every corner of the decision. "I think all of those things are up in the air," McVay said. "I wish I had a little bit better ability to give you some clarity, but it's really one of those deals that, what we're doing we're focusing on this football team. Aaron knows that if he wants to be able to do that, that's something that we absolutely want to be able to entertain and figure out, and that's really all there is to it right now." via ProFootballTalk

The hold stems from Donald's own standard. He has said that if he returns, it is only because he believes he can still play at the level he set — he was at peace in retirement and has no interest in coming back as a lesser version of himself. That is why the Rams have built contingency plans: McVay noted the team has a final 53-man roster mapped out with Donald and one without him, and that the ramp-up conversation only begins once Donald commits.

Los Angeles opens the regular season on September 10 in Australia against the 49ers. Whether Donald is part of that defense remains the single biggest unknown on the roster — and with each passing practice, the window to integrate him before Week 1 shrinks.