Aaron Donald is officially back with the Los Angeles Rams. If he hits the field for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, this news is absolutely brutal for one particular rookie. This kid just walked into a nightmare scenario.
Welcome To The League, Kid, Now Meet A Legend
The rookie in question is Carver Willis, the 49ers’ 2026 fourth-round draft pick. He just seized the starting job. That’s a huge accomplishment for any young player, congrats to him! But his very first NFL game, his first snap as a starter, could be staring down Aaron Donald. Donald is one of the greatest defenders the NFL has ever seen. Sure, he’s been off the field for two years. He might not be 100% right away, and it could take a few weeks to knock off the rust. But you know a superstar pass rusher like Donald has to be absolutely salivating, licking his chops at the chance to go up against a fresh-faced rookie in his debut. The stakes are instantly sky-high for Willis.
Preseason Pains Point To Trouble
And honestly, Willis’s preseason numbers aren’t exactly inspiring confidence for this monumental matchup. The guy played 100 snaps for San Francisco in the exhibition games, and Pro Football Focus (PFF) tracked him for allowing a total of seven pressures. His individual grades for pass blocking and run blocking were 50.9 and 53.7, respectively. Out of 109 rookie offensive linemen who participated in the entire preseason, Willis ranked way down at 82nd. Think about that: only three other rookies allowed more pressures in those exhibition games. That list includes Alan Herron from the Saints, who gave up nine pressures just against the Rams and Wesley Bailey alone; Ethan Onianwa, a seventh-rounder from the Falcons; and Enrique Cruz, who the 49ers actually drafted *after* Willis. Herron wasn’t even drafted! That’s just not the kind of company you want when Aaron Donald is staring you down for your first real game.
Now, we still don’t have confirmation if Donald will actually suit up for that Week 1 game against the 49ers in Melbourne. And we can’t say for sure if he’ll immediately return to his peak form after his time away. But let’s be real: a favorable matchup against a rookie offensive lineman who looked pretty porous in three exhibition games? That screams opportunity. It suggests Donald could announce his return in the most impactful way possible, by once again completely wrecking offensive game plans. If he plays, it’s going to be appointment viewing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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