On Monday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters he didn’t expect to see defensive star Aaron Donald show up on Tuesday, which is a significant day for him.
Donald needs to show up by Tuesday to ensure his 2018 season counts as an accrued season, meaning he would be an unrestricted free agent in 2019 without a long-term deal.
That being said, along with the coach’s insight, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday evening that Donald “has no plans to rejoin the team, per sources. He will not be there Tuesday, nor anytime soon.”
Donald remains embroiled in what appears to be an increasingly contentious contract impasse with the Rams. He’s set to play out the final season of his rookie contract after the team used its first-round option, which will pay him $6.89 million in 2018.
During his first four seasons as a pro, Donald has emerged as the premier defensive player in the NFL. The defensive tackle has racked up 39 sacks in total and has made either the First- or Second-team All-Pro squad in each of his first four seasons.