On the same day the Los Angeles Rams cut their roster down to 53 players, they added a very familiar face to the team. Aaron Donald announced his return to the NFL after a two-year retirement, signing a one-year deal worth up to $30 million with the Rams.
The Rams structured Donald’s contract to be cap-friendly this year, using void years to spread money out and limit his cap charge to just $5.8 million in 2026. He will count $17.9 million against the cap in 2027 even if he re-retires, but that’s a hurdle the Rams will deal with when the time comes.
Now that Donald is on the books, we have a better picture of the Rams’ current cap situation. According to Over The Cap, the Rams are actually $1.37 million over the salary cap. Spotrac, on the other
hand, has the Rams with $971,608 in cap space, so there’s a slight discrepancy between the two reports.
Based on Over The Cap’s numbers, the Rams are one of six teams over the cap, with the Bears being the furthest in the red at $12.2 million.
If needed, the Rams can easily create some cap space by restructuring the contract of one player. For instance, restructuring Stafford’s deal would free up $11.76 million, while Davante Adams’ would free up $11.35 million.
The Rams will need to be in cap compliance by Week 1, so depending on which report is accurate, they may need to make a move to get under the $301.2 million limit.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams salary cap: How much space does LA have after Aaron Donald's return?
