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All eyes continue to be on Aaron Donald following the Los Angeles Rams’ Monday afternoon decision to send Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for star edge rusher Myles Garrett.
Donald has been retired since 2024, but there are rumors that the Rams could convince the 35-year-old to put his cleats back on and help Los Angeles make another Super Bowl run.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated that he believes the Rams could make a run at Donald this offseason. The following day, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer provided the public with his take on the subject and even detailed what Donald’s potential return could entail.
“It’s a big commitment, returning to go through the whole grind after two years on the shelf, and at 35 years old,” Breer wrote Wednesday. “He’d have to get bowed up for training camp, battle to get into football shape, and then endure the gauntlet of a 17-game regular season, plus the playoffs.”
“That’s why, when I was asked about it the other day by Rich Eisen (I hadn’t yet seen what Donald said to Pat McAfee), I said that it seemed more likely that he’d pull an Eric Weddle than go through all that goes along with playing the whole year. The six-time Pro Bowler, who’d just turned 37, came off the bench, played nine snaps and tweaked a hamstring in the first round.”
“He then came off the bench and played 61 snaps in the divisional round against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers, then started and played every snap in the NFC title game, and started again in the Rams’ Super Bowl win over the Bengals, wearing the green dot for that game.”
“Incidentally, one of that game’s heroes was Donald. So he’s seen it be done before. He’s also a freak’s freak, a couple of years younger than Weddle was, and played a position that’s less reliant on foot speed. I wouldn’t rule out a comeback. But to me, the idea of doing it like Weddle might be a little more realistic than coming back full-time.”
As Breer noted, Donald's conditioning would have to be superb for him to have a chance of being a high-level pass rusher with the Rams in 2026-27, but there’s no question the appeal is there.
The former first-round pick was a defensive menace with the Rams for a decade, and if he managed to be half of the player he was during his best NFL years, his possible comeback bid could be a complete success.
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