By Joseph Connolly
Earlier this week, the L.A. Rams announced that the team had reached a record breaking agreement with defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The deal means $137 million for Donald over the next six years and carries a minimum guarantee of no less than $87 million according to sources.
The Richest Deal
This is the richest deal offered to a defensive player in the history of the NFL and may keep Donald with the Rams for the next seven years, which would be all the way through the 2025 season.
ESPN says that although Donald has been a holdout until now, skipping training camp, he will be ready to take his place on the team in time for the season opener. This game pits the Rams against the Oakland (soon to be moving to Las Vegas) Raiders on Monday, September 10th.
Donald was a first-round draft pick in 2014, but this was to be his final year of his rookie season contract, one in which he was expected to earn $6.9 million. The new contract puts him at the top of the list of Rams players who have been granted contract extensions this year.
Among the others are Brandin Cooks, WR (5 years, $81M/$50.5M guaranteed), Todd Gurley, RB (4 years, $57.5M/$45M guaranteed), and Rob Havenstein, OT (4 years, $32.5M/$16.2M guaranteed).
Donald has an excellent track record, which has a lot to do with the massive contract. His record includes:
All-Pro Selection: Three times
Pro Bowl Selection: Four times
Defensive Rookie of the Year: 2014
Career Sacks: 39
Forced Fumbles: 9
Opening with Their Defensive Line Intact
By coming to an equitable solution with Donald, the Rams have ensured that their defensive line, one that is highly regarded throughout the league, will start the 2018 season intact. This being said, the contract news should have a significant impact on the latest betting news in Canada where punters follow the NFL very closely. To further improve their chances of success, the Rams have also signed All-Pro free agent Ndamukong Suh.
The Rams and Donald had been in contract negotiations since last year. Donald had been holding out for a new contract that would make him the highest-paid defensive player and put him among the highest-paid players in the NFL.
Negotiating Since 2016
Negotiations between Donald and the Rams started at the end of the 2016 season. In his third season as a pro, 2016, he managed eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and five deflected passes. Following this season, Donald did not report to voluntary offseason training but reported to the mandatory minicamp to avoid having to pay any fines.
He continued to hold out from training camp and only reported to the team’s training facility on the eve of the team’s 2017 season opener. He did so without a contract and was activated during the second week of the season. His absence from training camp seemed to have little effect as he registered 11 sacks, and five forced fumbles in 2017.
During this, his fourth season as a pro, Donald was named “NFL Defensive Player of the Year” while the Rams topped the NFC West Division and went to the playoffs for the first time since time 2003.
Perhaps this will be his best season ever and may prove to be worth the money the Rams have invested in him.