Rams’ Aaron Donald Could Miss Games
Aaron Donald‘s holdout might not end anytime soon. The Rams defensive tackle could take his holdout into the regular season, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Facebook link). 
One of Schefter’s sources even speculated that he could envision Donald sitting out the entire season. That would be an extreme measure, of course, but it says a lot about where negotiations are at this point in time.
Recently, Rams GM Les Snead indicated that the team has made a substantial extension offer to Donald. Apparently, the proposal was not to Donald’s liking.
Donald, 26, is slated to earn $3.225MM in 2017 and $6.892MM in 2018 through the fifth-year option. Those numbers are way below market for the player who graded as the league’s No. 1 interior defender in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Donald may be seeking a deal that tops Ndamukong Suh‘s six-year, $114MM pact, making him the league’s highest paid defensive tackle.
An extended holdout may give Donald the leverage he needs since he still has two years of club control remaining on his contract.
Latest On Aaron Donald, Trumaine Johnson
The Rams have made a substantial extension offer to Aaron Donald, Les Snead said (via Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com).
Donald remains a camp holdout, and the most recent news coming out of Los Angeles hasn’t moved the needle much on a re-up for the dominant interior defender. Dialogue between the Rams and Donald is ongoing, however, Snead said.
“We want Aaron here and we want to make him a Ram for a long time,” Sean McVay said, via La Canfora, “and in the little bit of time I’ve spent with him it doesn’t take long to see what kind of a special player he is, based on the tape, and what kind of person he is and how much he loves the game of football and his teammates. That’s why we want to get it figured out.”
The 26-year-old defender is due just $3.225MM this season. That number rises to $6.892MM in 2018 because of the fifth-year option. But Donald, a two-time All-Pro, has obviously proven he’s worth top-market money. Ndamukong Suh‘s six-year, $114MM — negotiated while Suh was a UFA — remains the standard for interior defenders. Von Miller‘s six-year, $114.6MM deal represents the high for all defensive players.
La Canfora added the Rams are open to making a trade as well. Shedding Trumaine Johnson‘s $16.742MM franchise tag salary would be an avenue to clear cap space — the Rams hold just $3.78MM at present — and La Canfora reports the Steelers are among the teams inquiring about a possible deal for the sixth-year corner. While that wouldn’t exactly be in Pittsburgh’s draft-centric nature, and La Canfora doubts L.A. would pull the trigger after the Gaines deal, Johnson has proven himself to be an upper-echelon corner. The Steelers return their cornerback trio from last season in Ross Cockrell, 2016 first-rounder Artie Burns and William Gay
NFC Notes: Stafford, Donald, Packers, Cards
There have been talks throughout the offseason that the Lions are confident that they’ll get franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to ink an extension. General manager Bob Quinn expressed those same sentiments to fans on Saturday prior to the team’s “mock game.”
“Matt has taken this situation with his contract in stride,” Quinn said (via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein). “It doesn’t bother him and it doesn’t bother me. I’m confident we’ll get something done.
“There’s a long way to go on that, but it’s good on both sides.”
Stafford, 29, is set to enter the final year of his contract, and Rothstein writes that the former No. 1 overall pick could be in line to become the NFL’s highest-paid player. We learned earlier this week that there was still a “substantial gap” between Stafford’s asking price and Detroit’s offer.
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…
- We learned last night that the Rams and Aaron Donald remain on “amicable” terms despite the interior defender’s holdout. Despite the relative optimism, head coach Sean McVay said not much as changed in regards to negotiations. “Not to this point,” McVay said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “Kind of still same as. Hopeful and waiting for some day when we get that good news, but in the meantime we move on and like we’ve said before – confident that he’s working hard while he’s not here and trust that when we do get that worked out hopefully he’ll be ready to go and there won’t be any setbacks. It’ll be good to get him if we’re able to come to that decision and get that thing done.”
- Cardinals linebacker Deone Bucannon is on track to return for Week 1, Bruce Arians said (via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Bucannon is on the Active/PUP list presently after undergoing ankle surgery in May, and while Arians hopes the safety-turned-linebacker can have a 10-day preparation period before the regular season, the goal remains Week 1.
- Tight end Emanuel Byrd will be auditioning for the Packers, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The undrafted free agent out of Marshall initially signed with the Chiefs in May, but he was waived by the organization in late July.
- Hall of Famer and former Eagles executive Jim Gallagher died Saturday at the age of 88 (via Philly.com’s Paul Domowitch). Gallagher started working for the organization back in 1949, and he served as the Eagles’ personnel director, public relations director, director of sales and marketing, and director of alumni relations until his retirement in 1995. “Jim was one of the kindest and most remarkable men you could ever meet,’’ Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said. “His dedication to this organization went far beyond the 46 years he spent here, and his impact was far-reaching…Everyone who was fortunate enough to meet Jim knows how much he loved the Eagles, but also how much he truly cared for and invested in the lives of others. To borrow one of his famous phrases, Jim was a ‘first-round pick.”
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Extra Points: Donald, Gruden, Titans, Bills
There’s no end in sight to the standoff between the Rams and holdout Aaron Donald, but the two sides remain on “amicable” terms, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. The superstar defensive lineman is under control through the next two seasons at low costs relative to his play and could be a franchise tag candidate in 2019 and ’20, meaning the Rams don’t have any incentive to give him a long-term mega-deal, one NFL agent told Gonzalez. “The Rams should sit back and do nothing. Let him play out this year, let him play out the fifth-year option, and franchise him,” said the agent.
The agent’s point of view makes sense from a financial perspective, but it wouldn’t be acting in good faith, notes Gonzalez, who writes that Donald is worth breaking the bank for and someone who’s clearly a franchise player. While the Rams are aware of the 26-year-old’s greatness, they also realize that they technically don’t have to cave into Donald, which puts them in a tough situation. Ultimately, if a deal does come together, it might not be until closer to September, observes Gonzalez. That’s when the Rams extended wide receiver Tavon Austin, edge rusher Robert Quinn and nose tackle Michael Brockers in past years. In the meantime, they can fine Donald $40K per day as long as he’s absent.
- Redskins coach Jay Gruden wouldn’t be surprised if his brother, Jon Gruden, returned to coaching. “It wouldn’t shock me, no,” said Jay Gruden (via John Keim of ESPN.com). “I don’t know why he would want to do that. He has a pretty good job. He has a passion for the game, the way he talks and prepares for the job he has is second to none. He loves coaching and he loves preparing. I don’t know if he’ll come back or not.” Jon Gruden hasn’t coached since 2008, and while the Monday Night Football commentator suggested last week that a comeback was possible, he indicated he’s content in his current role a few days later.
- Titans receiver Corey Davis, the fifth pick in this year’s draft and the last rookie to sign his contract, will sit out at least a week after suffering a hamstring injury Thursday, head coach Mike Mularkey told 104.5 The Zone in Nashville (via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com). Davis will not need surgery, fortunately, though the Titans will evaluate him week to week. He expects to be in Tennessee’s lineup come Week 1, tweets Wolfe.
- Speaking to reporters Friday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott didn’t rule out foot surgery for left tackle Cordy Glenn. Both the Bills and Glenn can now breathe a sigh of relief, though, as the stalwart’s “fine” and will likely resume practicing next week, reports John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Glenn’s ankle injury limited him to a career-low 11 games last season, but the five-year veteran’s play still ranked an impressive 21st among 76 qualified tackles at Pro Football Focus.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/17
The Rams have officially placed defensive tackle Aaron Donald on the reserve/did not report list, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The designation doesn’t mean much, as Donald can be removed from the list at any point. But it clears a roster spot for Los Angeles while Donald stages a holdout over a new contract.
Here are the rest of today’s minor moves:
- Quarterback Zac Dysert‘s 2017 season was already over after he underwent back surgery, and the Cowboys have now made that official by designating him as waived/injured, per James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Dysert will go through waivers, but he won’t be claimed thanks to his injury. He’ll revert to Dallas’ injured reserve list.
- The Raiders claimed running back George Atkinson III off waivers from the Browns, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The son of former Raiders great George Atkinson, the running back spent time with the Raiders from 2014-15 and played in 16 games as a special-teamer for the Browns last season.
- Marcel Reece‘s return to the Seahawks will add a big-name fullback to the equation, and it will cut short fullback Algernon Brown. Seattle also waived linebacker Nick Usher, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Usher was part of the Hawks’ UDFA contingent in May, but the team needed to make room for Marcus Smith. Brown’s exit leaves only Reece and Kyle Coleman as Seattle fullbacks, Condotta tweets.
- Again in need of a replacement linebacker, the Vikings signed Darnell Sankey, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (on Twitter). The team waived linebacker Shaan Washington. Tomasson notes (on Twitter) the Vikes originally picked up linebacker Noor Davis to replace Washington, but after a Kentrell Brothers injury, the team added a second new ‘backer.
- Signed by the Saints and converted to wide receiver earlier this year after a run as a dual-threat quarterback at Georgia Tech, Justin Thomas will need to find another team if he’s going to catch on in the NFL. The Saints cut the rookie wideout, Nick Underhill of The Advocate reports (on Twitter).
- The Bengals swapped out wideouts by waiving Monty Madaris and signing Lavonte Whitfield, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. Madaris resided on the Active/PUP list with a hamstring injury and will revert to Cincinnati’s Reserve/PUP list if he clears waivers, Owczarski notes (on Twitter).
- The Redskins announced that they’ve signed defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon while waiving/injured DB Lou Young. Young appeared in six games for Carolina a season ago.
- With Daimion Stafford mulling retirement, the Steelers announced that they’ve signed another safety, 2017 undrafted free agent Malik Golden.
- The Panthers waived tight end Wyatt Houston, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer tweets.
Rams’ Aaron Donald To Hold Out
Rams players were required to check in for training camp by Friday at 11am Pacific time, but star defensive tackle Aaron Donald is a no-show, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Donald will hold out with the goal of landing a lucrative extension, reports Alden Gonzlez of ESPN.com.
“He’s a great player,” said head coach Sean McVay. “We knew this was a potential possibility for us, and we’re constantly going through trying to get a solution to this.”
Los Angeles had indeed discussed a new deal for Donald, but “little progress” has been made in negotiations, per Rapoport. Asking price is almost assuredly an issue in talks, but the Rams’ level of team control over Donald means the club has little incentive to rush discussions. Donald is under contract through 2018 at a total cost of roughly $10MM thanks to the fifth-year option, and the Rams can then deploy the franchise tag in 2019.
That’s not to presume that Donald hasn’t outplayed his contact, a fact with which the Rams agree. Donald, 26, has been absolutely dominant since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2014. A two-time All-Pro, Donald has managed 28 sacks during his three years in the NFL, an astonishing total for a defensive tackle. Donald, who played 828 snaps a season ago, graded as the league’s No. 1 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus, which awarded him a 99.0 mark for his pass-rushing prowess.
Donald is slated to earn $1.802MM in 2017 before his salary rises to $6.892MM in 2018.
NFC Notes: Donald, Cousins, Eagles, Bucs
While Rams defensive tackle and extension candidate Aaron Donald could be pushing for Ndamukong Suh-like money ($20MM per year), his team control status makes securing that type of deal unlikely, observes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Suh was a free agent when he landed his massive contract with the Dolphins back in 2015, whereas Donald can’t voluntarily leave the Rams for a while. The superstar’s controllable at a relatively meager ~$10MM combined for at least the next two years (the Rams exercised his fifth-year option for 2018), and Los Angeles can then use the franchise tag on him during the ensuing couple offseasons if there’s no long-term deal in place. Because of that, there’s little incentive for the Rams to hurry into a Suh-esque extension for Donald.
More from the NFC:
- With the Redskins running out of time to extend quarterback Kirk Cousins by the July 17 deadline, the next week-plus could solidify or destroy their future, contends Jerry Brewer of the Washington Post. Locking up the franchise-tagged Cousins would be a sign of stability for the Redskins, argues Brewer, who criticizes the club for lowballing the signal-caller in past negotiations. Washington’s reluctance to buy into Cousins for the long haul has led it to franchise him in back-to-back offseasons, thereby costing the team around $44MM. The Redskins designating Cousins as their franchise player again next offseason probably isn’t going to happen, as doing so would come with a price tag upward of $34MM (the transition tag will come in at $28MM); as such, there’s a legitimate chance the productive Cousins will head elsewhere after 2017 and leave the Redskins searching for an answer under center again.
- Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin were among the cornerbacks the Eagles relied on most last season, but the former left for the Cowboys in free agency and the latter is on the unemployment line. Now, with training camp approaching, the Eagles are unsure who will fill any of their top three corner roles, according to defensive backs coach Cory Undlin. Not even Jalen Mills, who finished second among Philadelphia’s CBs in snaps as a rookie last season (662), is guaranteed a prominent position. “It’s just going to be who’s going to step up here in training camp and through the preseason,” Undlin said (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com). “Who’s going to say, ‘Listen, I’m starting here, I’m starting here, I’m going to play the nickel,’ and then here’s the backups.” Mills, whom Pro Football Focus’ ranked as the league’s worst corner last season, and the underwhelming veteran trio of Patrick Robinson, Ron Brooks and Dwayne Gratz are the only Eagles corners with real pro experience. The club does have a pair of rookies with upside in second-rounder Sidney Jones, who tore his Achilles in March and could miss the start of the season, and third-rounder Rasul Douglas.
- The Buccaneers waived undrafted rookie linebacker Paul Magloire at the end of May, but he’ll stay with the team on injured reserve, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Magloire is facing a 30-week recovery after undergoing surgery on a double hernia and torn groin muscle. The Bucs originally added Magloire on a split contract, which will allow the ex-Arizona standout to earn 75 percent of the $465K rookie minimum ($348K) while on IR.
NFC Notes: Giants, Eagles, Donald
The Giants and quarterback Eli Manning will soon be dealing with a memorabilia fraud lawsuit, but ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio notes that the NFL still has no comment on the situation. Specifically, the reporter wonders if “a civil finding of memorabilia fraud” would ultimately lead to a review under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, especially considering the vague explanation of the rule:
“Conduct by anyone in the league that is illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsible puts innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others in the game, and undercuts public respect and support for the NFL. We must endeavor at all times to be people of high character; we must show respect for others inside and outside our workplace; and we must strive to conduct ourselves in ways that favorably reflect on ourselves, our teams, the communities we represent, and the NFL.”
Florio also notes that the list of “prohibited acts” include “[c]rimes of dishonesty such as blackmail, extortion, fraud, money laundering, or racketeering.”
While we await some clarity on that situation, let’s take a look around the NFC…
- With former second-round pick Dorial Green-Beckham seeking his third team in three seasons, Geoff Mosher says the former Eagles wideout needed “a heavy dose of humble pie.” The writer notes that the talented offensive weapon easily lost focus, ran sloppy routes, and dropped easy-to-catch passes. While the receiver was once compared to Randy Moss, Mosher now believes Green-Beckham is a prime example of “wasted talent.” As a result, the receiver is no longer an elite prospect, and he should instead be considered a “reclamation project.” During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.
- Despite the presence of Ryan Mathews and free agent addition LeGarrette Blount, veteran running back Darren Sproles is still confident that he can contribute to the Eagles running game this season. Sproles told ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) that he “can do it all,” and it’s likely that Philly capitalizes on his versatility again in 2017. Last season, the 34-year-old caught 52 receptions for 427 yards and two touchdowns, and he added another 438 yards on the ground.
- Appearing on ESPN’s NFL Live, Anderson said that she assumes Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald is likely frustrated that he hasn’t received an extension from the organization (via Rams-News.com). The reporter notes that the team has extended Tavon Austin and Robert Quinn, yet the three-time Pro Bowler still hasn’t receive a new contract. The Rams did exercise the former first-rounder’s fifth-year option earlier this offseason, so Donald will be sticking with the organization through at least the 2018 season.
Latest On Rams’ Aaron Donald
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald did not commit to appearing at training camp in a radio interview on Thursday. Donald gave Alex Marvez and Mark Dominik of SiriusXM a non-answer when asked if he would be on hand when camp starts in July.
“I’m just [going to continue] working, just grinding, and we’re going to see what happens,” Donald said.
Donald reported to mandatory minicamp earlier this summer, so it stands to reason that he would report to training camp even without a deal. It’s possible that the 26-year-old is looking to drum up a little extra leverage for himself with an empty threat. It’s also possible that he’s serious about missing the start of camp, though it would cost him a fair amount of money to sit at home.
The defensive tackle is scheduled to carry a paltry $3.225MM cap number in 2017 before his salary jumps to $6.892MM in 2018 under the fifth-year option. A new deal for Donald will likely reset the market for defensive tackles.
Currently, Ndamukong Suh has the top deal of any DT – he’s in the midst of a six-year, $114.4MM pact with $60MM guaranteed. Unlike Suh, Donald will not be negotiating his deal on the open market. However, a new pact this year would make him two years younger than Suh at the time of signing and the salary cap has increased significantly since Suh’s deal in 2015. There’s also this: Donald is arguably an even better player than Suh was in his prime.
Rams Notes: Donald, Gurley, Johnson
Let’s take a quick look at the latest from Los Angeles:
- The Rams and defensive tackle Aaron Donald are “in agreement” that the fourth-year pro has exceeded his current contract, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter links). While that’s seemingly an obvious statement given that Donald, an All Pro in each of the past two seasons, is scheduled to earn a paltry $1.8MM in 2017, the Rams don’t believe Donald is acting in a “selfish” manner in regards to his contract situation, per Bonsignore. Los Angeles has reportedly worked on an extension with Donald, who is controlled through the 2018 campaign via the fifth-year option. Donald, 26, has managed 28 sacks during his first three years in the league and last year graded as the NFL’s No. 1 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus.
- While Donald has performed more than well enough to warrant an extension, the same can’t be said for running back Todd Gurley, as Bonsignore tweets. Given that he’s only completed two NFL seasons, Gurley isn’t even eligible for a new deal until the 2017 campaign concludes, but if his production doesn’t improve next year, it may be tough for Gurley to justify an extension, per Bonsignore. Gurley, 22, saw his yards per carry drop by 1.6 yards a season ago, but a revamped offensive line could help matters next season. Los Angeles’ front five ranked 29th in adjusted line yards in 2017, but the club has since added left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan.
- In case you missed it, Rams franchise-tagged cornerback Trumaine Johnson isn’t going to sign an extension before the July 17 deadline. Instead, Johnson will play out the season — his second consecutive campaign under the tag — while earning $16.742MM.