Aaron Donald will not be suiting up in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers and on one hand, that’s disappointing for fans of the Los Angeles Rams. On the other hand, if the Rams can excel or win without Donald, then that bodes even better for his eventual return to the lineup.
It’s only one game, but it’s a massive opportunity for L.A. to get a divisional win in an international game and set the stage and show this team has what it takes to compete out of the gate.
It’s assumed that this defense
should be good with AD, but he won’t be there Thursday so what will this defense be without him? You can bet AD will be watching.
What Aaron Donald’s Week 1 Absence Means for the Rams Defense (si.com)
“While the Rams will be disappointed to not have Donald available, they are playing the long game and want to ensure he is in game shape before he takes the field. The Rams have been preparing without Donald throughout much of the summer, which won’t change how they approach Thursday’s game against the 49ers. This is also a team that’s uniquely built to manage without Donald.
I think what’s cool is you have such confidence in the group that we do have with Kobie, with Fiske, with Poona Ford, with Tyler Davis,” said McVay. “It’ll add value when he’s ready to go, but being two years off retirement, he’s attacked this the right way.”
The Rams do have the depth to manage without Donald against the 49ers. Donald would have certainly added a boost, but the Rams had been preparing all offseason to be without him. It wasn’t until they traded for Myles Garrett that Donald’s return became a possibility. Even then, Donald didn’t make it official until two weeks ago.“
Aaron Donald won’t travel with the L.A. Rams to Australia for Week 1 (ktla.com)
“Defensive tackle Aaron Donald will not travel to Melbourne, Australia, to play in the Los Angeles Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
Donald, who initially retired in March 2024, came out of retirement on Aug. 30. He signed a one-year deal with the team.
While Rams fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Donald back in a Rams uniform, McVay did say that defensive end Myles Garrett, who has been dealing with swelling in his knee, will be “ready to go” in Week 1, according to ESPN.
Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who has the record for most sacks in a season (23), is also considered to be one of the best defensive players of his generation. “
Rams release first injury report of Week 1: 2 starters miss practice (ramswire)
“With the Los Angeles Rams playing on Friday morning in Australia, they released their first official injury report of the 2026 season on Tuesday. They practiced in Los Angeles before flying out to Melbourne, and a handful of players were either held out due to injuries or rest.
Myles Garrett, who will play against the 49ers in the opener, was listed as a non-participant due to his lingering knee injury. Grant Stuard was limited with a hamstring injury, while Jaylen Watson missed practice because of a toe issue. The severity of Watson’s injury is unclear, but there have been no indications that he’s in danger of missing the opener.“
Raheem Morris used to joke that Aaron Donald would ‘get fat when he retired’ (ramswire)
“ESPN’s Sarah Barshop spoke to Morris, asking if the champion coordinator was surprised by Donald’s return.
“No,” said Morris. “I mean, he always stays ready. I used to joke with him and always tell him he’s going to get fat when he retired and he always told me there’s no chance. And he’s right.”
Morris’ final game with the Rams was also Donald’s final contest. In their wild-card loss to the Detroit Lions, ending their 2023 season, Morris would go on to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, while Donald opted to retire.“
Sean McVay and Myles Garrett talk Week 1 expectations ahead of Thursday’s matchup against the 49ers (therams.com)
“Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and outside linebacker Myles Garrett addressed the media ahead of Thursday’s Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. They discuss expectations around the season opener, maximizing every opportunity & more.”
Rams’ Chris Shula names 2nd-year DT who’s been a ‘pleasant surprise’ (ramswire)
““The guy that really stuck out to me was Ty Hamilton,” said Shula on Monday. “I thought he did an awesome job where in camp, it was like Giff (Smith), his position coach, really challenged him to play physical, play fast, play tough. As a rookie, we thought he was kind of thinking and hesitating a little bit too much, and you saw that show up on the tape. He was definitely a pleasant surprise for us, for sure.”
Loaded Rams Carry Highest Ceiling, Highest Stakes in the NFL (sports.yahoo)
“That talent cuts both ways. Health and chemistry will decide whether the Rams hit their ceiling or floor.
Ceiling: 16-1 and Super Bowl Champions
Injuries are the Rams’ biggest threat. They strike randomly and have doomed many Super Bowl contenders. Los Angeles does what it can to prevent that, managing practice schedules and giving rest when needed.“
NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Cowboys rising after defensive makeover; Bears drop out of top 10 (nfl.com)
“Am I worried about the statuses of Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua? Mildly, although Garrett practiced Sunday, and Nacua appears to be on track to play against San Francisco in the opener in Australia. Oh, and Aaron Donald is back on the team now. No movement for the Rams here, but a big test awaits them Down Under.“
Patriots vs. Seahawks: Five must-know storylines for Wednesday’s 2026 NFL Kickoff Game (nfl.com)
“Our national nightmare is over. After a 212-day break, the NFL officially returns on Wednesday night, with the New England Patriots visiting the Seattle Seahawks to kick off the 2026 season in an instant rematch of Super Bowl LX.
This is the 12th regular-season game between teams that met in the previous Super Bowl, per NFL Research, and the reigning champs are 8-3 in the previous 11 such rematches.
Last we saw these two squads on the same field, Seattle’s defense and running game dominated to the tune of a 29-13 victory. Can the Patriots pull off an upset, with marquee offseason acquisition A.J. Brown in tow this time around?“
49ers catching early breaks — including avoiding Rams’ Aaron Donald (sports.yahoo)
“Kyle Shanahan went out of his way to avoid providing injury updates after the 49ers‘ first practice in Australia, cleverly pointing out that they were a full day ahead of the Rams.
On the flip side, when Aaron Donald was asked about his status after rejoining 11-on-11 practice for the first time this week, all he could muster was a big smile and that he was “feeling good.”
Both sides dropped the act Tuesday.
And the Niners clearly came out in the more favorable position once the dust of the NFC West rivals’ gamesmanship settled. They’ll have Nick Bosa and George Kittle — and will only have to worry about one future Hall of Famer (Myles Garrett) lining up opposite them.“
Comment of the Day:
“2 things need to happen for Darnold to maintain his 2025 experience :
The O-line needs to keep Darnold upright and clean to make his best reads/throws ( Jared Goff Syndrome)
Seattle needs their running game to play to the same levels as 2025, Darnold alone on offense will have dl/dbs with their ears pinned back in mad dog attack ( see Rams/Vikings playoff game )“ -Watcher Of The Skies
Fanpost of the Day:
