The Los Angeles Rams suddenly need Aaron Donald more than they could have imagined this offseason.
It’s been a common refrain for fans around the league, pundits, analysts, that the Rams don’t even need Donald, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, because of how good the rest of the defensive line and defense as whole are. But, to have him would be a bonus and a luxury for the Super Bowl favorites.
Now that Myles Garrett is headed to injured reserve, that doesn’t feel like the case
anymore.
Garrett is out for at least four weeks, which means the Rams will have to find a way to replace his nearly incomparable presence on the edge. He wasn’t great in the season opener, in fact he wasn’t even remotely close to good, but he admitted after the game against the San Francisco 49ers that he didn’t feel like himself and didn’t put the best version of himself on the field.
There’s still talent on that Rams front, without question. Byron Young and Kobie Turner are high-quality young players, and Poona Ford is one of the best individual run stoppers in the league, but this front seven was built around No. 95 and his unique game-wrecking ability. He was going to absorb double and triple teams constantly, setting up favorable matchups for the rest of that group.
That sure sounds a lot like what Aaron Donald used to do.
In all likelihood, Donald isn’t going to return from two years out of football and play at a first-team All-Pro level, even if interior lineman typically age fairly well. Still, this isn’t your average player, this is an inner-circle Pro Football Hall of Famer in waiting.
So even if he’s not the Donald we remember from his peak, he’s going to play a crucial role for the defensive line. Alleviating stress on the rest of that group would help mitigate the loss of Garrett significantly.
Can he do that? For now, it’s impossible to know. We didn’t see him take the field in Melbourne for the opener as he works his way back into game shape. And, of course, there isn’t exactly a precedent for a return like this.
But uncharacteristic or not, this is a big stretch for the Rams and a big stretch for Donald. His individual legacy in untouchable, but keeping this defensive line afloat while the current best defensive player in the league is out is a major responsibility for the NFL’s biggest offseason story.
