NFL Insider’s take on Aaron Donald possible Rams return will turn heads

The Los Angeles Rams don’t know when Aaron Donald will make a decision on coming out of retirement — and the team hasn’t given the three-time Defensive Player of the Year a deadline to make one.

“The Rams have not given Aaron Donald a timeline for when they need a decision because they don’t actually need a decision,” NFL Insider Ian Rapoport said on NFL Game Day Kickoff on Saturday morning.

“The Rams are not waiting, let’s say, on another roster move if he decides to come back. They are set on the defensive line, they are more than good. They have Myles Garrett and plenty of his friends. It would be a bonus if Aaron Donald comes back.

“So whenever it is, whether it’s in the next couple of weeks before the season, whether it’s during the season, they will make it work. They would like him back. They would welcome, but there is no timetable.”

The notion that Donald coming out of retirement would simply be a bonus ought to frighten the rest of the league. At the very least, the other 31 starting quarterbacks.

The Rams’ front seven is loaded. They have Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and Braden Fiske listed as defensive lineman in their 3-4 scheme. Behind them are Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Omar Speights, and Nate Landman, who had a breakout season in 2025 listed as linebackers.

Of course, Garrett will mostly be rushing the passer.

Ever since the Cleveland Browns traded Garrett to LA, Donald coming out of retirement has been the talk of the town.

The saga has lasted over two months and there is still a chance the story won’t reach its end for several weeks or even months. Donald is in the midst of testing his body and has even participated in an official workout with the Rams this summer.

As Rapoport said, the Rams don’t need Donald but a reunion with the eight-time All-Pro would be a Hollywood movie. Make no mistake, the 35-year-old isn’t looking to come out of retirement to be a rotational player.

Sean McVay and his squad are Super Bowl favorites, but the addition of Donald would propel the Rams’ chances to the Lombardi Trophy.