Aaron Donald could be the final piece the Los Angeles Rams need to make good on their 2026 Super Bowl expectations. A return feels more and more likely as the start of the regular season approaches.
You simply cannot have a better offseason than adding Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Myles Garrett, and Donald to an already potent defense. Veteran leadership and championship history would mean a lot to a roster that has come up short in the postseason two years in a row.
But after two seasons watching
from his couch, what could Donald realistically bring to the Rams? This isn’t a move to win in the regular season—Donald would come back mainly to be a spark plug in the playoffs and help his team win the pinnacle. Winning a second Super Bowl would cement Donald’s legacy as potentially the greatest Ram of all time and one of the best defenders in NFL history.
There were signs of decline in last two years
If Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades were done in a classroom setting, Donald would be the annoying student that set the curve on every exam. He’s famous for breaking PFF’s grading scale as they converted to a more relatable 0-100 system and toppled JJ Watt as the outlet’s top-graded defender in the modern statistics era.
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.
The good news is that Donald was still one of the league’s best pass rushers. While his grade came down in this facet, it was still a level of performance most players dream about reaching at the professional level. Two points are not worth complaining about.
On the other hand, Donald’s run defense grade dropped materially in 2022 and declined further in 2023. Using the same 2015 to 2021 window, his rushing grade ranged from 86.0 to 92.4 before declining to 75.6 then 71.7.
Donald played relatively the same number of run snaps in 2023 as he did in 2016 and 2027. In those earlier seasons he posted 39 and 37 run stops with six forced fumbles. His output dropped to 34 run stops and zero forced fumbles in his final season.
What would Donald brings after two years off?
Do the Rams need Donald to be excellent in run defense upon a return? Simply put, this answer is probably no.
Kobie Turner and Poona Ford can handle these duties most of the time. Third-year defensive tackle Braden Fiske has historically struggled in this facet and LA has found ways to work around his weakness. Donald in theory would take on a very similar role to Fiske.
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.
There is real value to add should Aaron Donald return. Even if he doesn’t play at the level we are accustomed to from him, you can never have too many plus pass rushers. A defined, niche role would benefit both parties and potentially put the Rams over the Super Bowl hump.
