NFL insider shares new Aaron Donald update after latest workout with Rams

Previous reports indicated that defensive superstar Aaron Donald could announce his return to the Los Angeles Rams' active roster ahead of the club's preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs this past Saturday.

That didn't happen, but it was learned on Sunday that the NFL's transaction wire showed Donald had completed a second official workout with the Rams this summer. During a Monday appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" program, league insider Ian Rapoport shared an update on where Donald is as it pertains to possibly returning to the Rams.  

Aaron Donald still not ready to commit to playing for 2026 Rams?

"What happened – again – is Aaron Donald put on some helmets, put on some pads, and worked out for the Rams, wanting to see how his body acclimated," Rapoport said, per Josh Buckhalter of Heavy. "And the answer to your question about, 'Is it time?' Not yet. He’s really just going through the process. The Rams have been very vocal about saying they do not have a time frame for Aaron Donald." 

Specifically, Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Saturday that he wasn't going to "put some invisible deadline on something that doesn't exist in my mind for" Donald. Donald hasn't played since he retired in March 2024, and some have suggested the 35-year-old isn't yet convinced he could reclaim the form that made him a three-time Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. 

McVay and Co. reportedly plan for Donald "to play 30-40 snaps or so a game," beginning with Los Angeles' regular-season opener versus the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 10 (U.S. time). That would lead one to believe the Rams would like for Donald to return to practice sooner rather than later, but there remains no sign he is in a hurry to ink a contract with the club.

Rams have gotten "no firm decision" about potential Aaron Donald return

"It’s not like there needs to be some move where they would say, 'Alright, well, if we get him, we then need to trade or cut this guy, or we need to make room for this guy, or we need to figure out this salary. So, it has to be now.' It really doesn’t have to be anytime," Rapoport added about Donald and the Rams. "It has to be whenever Aaron Donald wants. No doubt the team will welcome him with open arms. If he decides to play, it’s fair to say it is trending that way, that he would likely play. But there’s been no firm decision." 

Rapoport also said that Donald wants to "make a more informed decision about whether or not he wants to come out of retirement" based upon "how his body responds" to recent workouts. It's unknown if such a decision will come before the Rams' preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 22.