Could Rams Still Trade Star DT Aaron Donald?

The Los Angeles Rams purged their roster during the 2022 offseason. For years, they spent draft capital like Oprah gives away gifts around the holidays and it finally caught up with them. With a capped-out, older roster, the Rams saw a mass exodus this offseason.

Several veterans who hit free agency opted to sign deals with new teams. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Miami Dolphins and Leonard Floyd was released along with linebacker Bobby Wagner.

There aren’t many recognizable names left on what was once a vaunted defensive unit. The last man standing is all-world defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. But, there are questions as to just how long he will be remaining with the team.

After the Rams won the Super Bowl to cap off the 2021 season, retirement talk started surrounding Donald. There wasn’t much left for him to accomplish as a professional, but he opted to come back for the 2022 season.

Things didn’t go well for the Rams, who went 5-11 but didn’t benefit from having their first-round pick; it was owned by the Detroit Lions courtesy of the Matthew Stafford trade. While Donald opted against retirement once again, his time in Los Angeles could be nearing its end.

Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated recently suggested that Donald was one player who could still switch teams this offseason. If the Rams were to make him available in a trade, his market would be robust.

“Trading Donald would be the toughest move of general manager Les Snead’s career. One could argue it would also be a smart one,” Sports Illustrated wrote. “Donald, 32, is entering the twilight of his career.”

Trading Donald would certainly result in some backlash for Snead. Having arguably the best defender of a generation on your roster is something every general manager dreams of; to trade that kind of player away would not be easy to stomach.

Alas, for the long-term health of the franchise, it could be the smart thing to do. The Rams made Donald the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, but the team acquiring him would not be paying all of that according to Verderame.

“On that front, the picks should be excellent considering Donald is the best defensive player of his era, and would cost the acquiring team only $13.5 million and $10 million, respectively.”

We have seen a lot of first-round picks included in trades for quarterbacks and wide receivers in recent offseasons. Donald should command a premium trade package even at 32 years old as he remains a game-wrecker in the middle of the defensive line.

Every franchise that believes they are a Super Bowl contender would line up to acquire Donald. He could easily be seen as the missing piece to push a team over the top, which would make for the development of a nice market and a massive return for the Rams.