Aaron Donald's decision to end his retirementand rejoin the Los Angeles Rams instantly reshaped the Super Bowl odds — but it hasn't settled the debate over how much he has left in the tank.
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spoke with several scouts and league sources this week, and the responses ranged from full confidence to real skepticism about what a 35-year-old who is two-plus years removed from football can still provide.On the optimistic end, evaluators pointed to Donald's relentless training regimen and competitive drive as reasons to believe the layoff won't matter much.
"If one man can do it – it's AD," one longtime scout said. "He still trains like a player. He's got a strong appetite for ball! He will be a rotational player, but the snaps will be significant!"
That scout added that Donald's 14 weeks of intensive workouts ahead of his return are a good sign, projecting him as a situational piece early before ramping up to a full-time role.
Others were far more guarded, framing Donald's return less as a matter of rust and more as a question of what age does to even the greatest players.
"My guess is he is a good player, but not great anymore," a league source said. "I think he plays around 35 to 40% of the defensive snaps for the Rams this year. To me, it's more about his age than missing time. How many great 35-year-old defensive players are there in the NFL right now?"
A separate scout echoed that caution, acknowledging Donald's talent while stressing that talent alone doesn't erase the physical toll of a three-year absence.
"Look, he's an all-time great player," an NFL scout said. "He's probably still great. I wouldn't bet against him. But he's not immune to reality. He's 35. He retired three years ago. It's not easy to play at that age. It's even harder being away for so long."
Not everyone was ready to commit to a projection either way.
"Wait and see," another NFL scout said via text. "The guy was a monster. Is he still? I need to see it first."
Donald hasn't played since totaling eight sacks in 2023, and his last double-digit sack season came in 2021. But lining up next to Myles Garrett, who set an NFL record with 23 sacks a season ago, gives him a runway to prove the doubters wrong — even if scouts remain divided on whether he still can.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL scouts question whether Aaron Donald will still be dominant
