As speculation around Aaron Donald‘s comeback keeps growing every day, one small social-media response has added another layer to a story that already had plenty of unanswered questions. Watch What’s Trending Now! NFL reporter Albert Breer recently discussed how the Los Angeles Rams can structure a potential deal for Aaron Donald if he decides to return this season, given the veteran’s age and the financial outcome of bringing him back.
“This isn’t from Rams people or from Donald’s people, but one thing that has continually come up when I talk to other people in the league about it is, ‘how do you work out the money part of it? How much are you paying him? How does it fit into their budget, both cash and cap?’ So there’s that piece of it too. I don’t think he’s going to want to come out there and play for free.”
Responding to Breer’s comments, an Instagram post from footballforever claimed that Donald could be waiting for further clarity on his salary, when the legend’s wife responded with four emojis declaring total annoyance and a “side-eye” look. The reaction was short, but the side-eye hinted at clear skepticism towards the suggestion.
Erica Donald did not provide any explanation or confirm whether money has anything to do with the decision. However, the financial issue is complicated because in 2022, the Rams reworked Donald’s contract by adding $40 million over the final three years of his existing agreement. “Yes. When he retired, his last contract still had $30m remaining.
My guess is he would look for more,” noted Jason Fitzgerald. Jason Fitzgerald, podcaster, confirmed that Donald is still under contract with the franchise for $30 million, a holdover from the final-year deal after the 2023 season. He believes Donald could ask for even more than $30 million to return. For the Rams, expecting a 35-year-old defensive tackle who hasn’t taken a single snap in two seasons to return under the old terms would create a salary-cap challenge and a massive financial commitment. The Super Bowl champion won three Defensive Player of the Year awards and eight First-Team All-Pro selections. He recorded an NFL record for defensive tackles with 20.5 sacks in 2018, while becoming the fastest defensive tackle to reach 100 career sacks.
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Meanwhile, Aaron Donald’s wife Erica has been posting videos and resharing comments since Myles Garrett’s blockbuster trade that ultimately led to rumors of Donald’s return. She has mostly used humor rather than directly revealing what her husband was planning. By August, the jokes continued as she also reacted to social media jokes about the frequency of his comeback rumors with laughing emojis when he was seen working out with the Rams. Ultimately, the Rams may want their star defensive tackle back, and Donald may want another opportunity. However, the financial framework remains a big factor in determining if this reunion is possible in reality.
