Andrew Buller-Russ
At a slow point in the offseason, all eyes and ears that are still awake are tuned into what may be a developing situation between the Los Angeles Rams and Aaron Donald. The question is, will Myles Garrett’s arrival push Donald to make a comeback bid in 2026?
The Rams were already viewed as strong contenders. After trading for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, some might call them Super Bowl favorites. With Donald too? Good luck to the rest of the NFL. Yet, these Donald rumors have lingered since June; what’s the hold-up here?
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Rams May Be Slow-Playing Aaron Donald Comeback
All signs suggest that Donald is open to a comeback. Recently working out at the Rams’ facility is a strong signal that he’s giving it a real go. He apparently wanted to see what it felt like to move around with pads on again. Mission accomplished.
Yet, what if Donald has another performance parameter in mind? Like, playing in the NFL again. For whatever reason, the two sides haven’t reached a contract for him to play this season.
Though, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, not getting a contract done with Donald could be by the Rams’ design.
“I think it’s going to have to be planned out, strategically. I wonder too, are they better off having him in September or are they better off telling him to skip training camp and show up in November. I think that’s got to be part of the equation. The Rams don’t need him to play 60 or 70 snaps a game. Because they have Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford. Because they’ve got Garrett and Byron Young on the edges, they can be very strategic about the way that they use him. I think that’s an important piece of all of this. ”
SI’s Albert Breer on Aaron Donald Comeback via FS1’s The Herd
While Donald is an elite athlete, he’s also 35 years old now. Despite all his accomplishments, Donald hasn’t played football for two full NFL seasons. That’s a lengthy downtime, but it’s not like the eight-time All-Pro has just been sitting around on his couch. He’s clearly remained in great shape, but is it football shape? Well, the Rams may not ask him to play a full workload; even a fraction of snaps played at a really high level could help elevate this defense to new levels.
“He’s so unique as a player, what a nightmare that’s gonna be for offenses if he’s anything close to what he was before. Because imagine you’re dealing with these big defensive tackles on first and second down, in Turner, Fiske or Ford, then here comes Donald, who’s got like that short, squatty build. It’s a totally different matchup. So for linemen to have to adjust to that on the fly when he comes off the bench, not knowing where they’re going to line him up, they could put him on the edge if they wanted to. It’s just fascinating at a lot of different levels. What a nightmare that’s going to be for offenses if he’s anything close to what he was before.”
Breer on Donald, continued
"The Rams don't need him to play 60 or 70 snaps a game… What a nightmare that's going to be for offenses if he's anything close to what he was before."@colincowherd and @AlbertBreer discuss Aaron Donald potentially returning to the Rams pic.twitter.com/AosdCzg9h8
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 15, 2026
That’s where Donald will challenge himself over the next few weeks and/or months. How much does he have left in the tank? Can he find that spark again? The opportunity to join a fellow future Hall of Famer like Garrett just might be too good to pass up. Not to mention, if they play their cards right, Donald may have a legitimate chance at doubling his Super Bowl ring total. That alone may be worth the pursuit.
