Aaron Donald is not traveling with the Los Angeles Rams to Australia and will be inactive for the team’s Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. The biggest story of the Rams offseason, which is saying a lot, Donald will not return to the field until Week 2 against the Giants, at the soonest. He is a roster exemption for the first two games, so the Rams may continue to ramp him up for several more weeks before the three-time Defensive Player of the Year work him into the defense.
Donald’s presence is something no team can ignore, so when he’s able to return it will change the makeup of the Rams defense immensely. That change just won’t happen this week.
Given that Donald did not practice with the Rams one time during training camp or preseason, it’s really not that surprising. Good things come to those who wait.
