Although Rams brass met with Aaron Donald‘s camp earlier this week, the two sides are “not close” on a new deal, sources tell Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Donald’s staged holdout has now passed the one-month mark, and there’s apparently no end in sight. With the regular season staring next week, Donald is extremely likely to miss games, something that Rams general manager Les Snead recently admitted. Los Angeles opens the season against the Colts on September 10, and then faces the Redskins, 49ers, and Cowboys.
Los Angeles had indeed discussed a new deal for Donald, but “little progress” has been made in negotiations. Asking price is surely the primary issue in talks, but the Rams’ level of team control over Donald means the club has little incentive to rush discussions. Donald is under contract through 2018 at a total cost of roughly $10MM thanks to the fifth-year option, and the Rams can then deploy the franchise tag in 2019.
That’s not to presume that Donald hasn’t outplayed his contact, a fact with which the Rams agree. Donald, 26, has been absolutely dominant since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2014. A two-time All-Pro, Donald has managed 28 sacks during his three years in the NFL, an astonishing total for a defensive tackle. Donald, who played 828 snaps a season ago, graded as the league’s No. 1 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus, which awarded him a 99.0 mark for his pass-rushing prowess.