The Los Angeles Rams, already pegged as the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl, just got a huge boost with Aaron Donald rejoining the squad. Donald is back in the mix after ending his retirement following two years away from the game. But the burning question everyone’s asking is whether we can actually expect the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to play at that legendary level again at 35 years old. We’re talking about a guy who won three DPOY awards and made 10 Pro Bowls, so the stakes are sky-high for what this means for the Rams’ season.
The “AD Can Do Anything” Camp Is Here For It
Talk to some scouts around the NFL, and there’s a serious buzz that Donald is still THAT GUY. One longtime scout laid it out straight, saying, “If one man can do it, it’s AD.” This scout expects Donald to bring the “same type of impact” he had when he walked away after the 2023 season. They aren’t wrong; the man still trains like a maniac and clearly has a “strong appetite for Ball!” The intel suggests he’ll start as a “rotational player” but his snaps are going to be significant, no doubt. Another scout noted Donald’s insane prep, confirming he spent 14 weeks of intense workouts with personal trainers before deciding to come back. They even think the Rams were tracking his conditioning. The expectation? “Sub-package, plug-and-play guy the first two weeks and then can be an every-down guy after that.” Even with some potential “rust” and “wear and tear,” they still see him as a “difference maker and leader.” An “all-time great player” who’s “probably still great” is a pretty high bar to hit.
But Are We Getting Ahead Of Ourselves?
Not everyone is ready to hand Donald the DPOY trophy just yet. The skepticism is real, with one league source guessing he’ll be a “good player, but not great anymore.” The projection? Playing around “35 to 40% of the defensive snaps for the Rams this year.” That’s a huge drop from his career norms, where he played at least 67% of defensive snaps every season, including 81% in his last year in 2023. The big worry isn’t just the time off, it’s his age. “How many great 35-year-old defensive players are there in the NFL right now?” That’s a brutal, honest question. History shows us older defensive linemen sometimes turn into “one-down players,” like when Von Miller played just 37% of the Washington Commanders’ defensive snaps last season at age 36. So yeah, the optimism is battling some serious realism.
This is a wild card move for a team already loaded. The Rams are obviously banking on Donald being the same force. We’ll find out pretty quick if he can defy Father Time and those snap count projections. The league is watching to see if AD can actually pull off this legendary comeback.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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