from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2024/3/16/24103004/rams-cap-space-aaron-donald-retirement-free-agency
Jason Fitzgerald from OverTheCap did a fantastic job breaking down Donald’s contract and how his retirement impacts the Rams salary cap. Here is what Fitzgerald had to say,
“Per a source with knowledge of the contract this was not a typical restructure where salary was just converted to a signing bonus. In this case the Rams converted his $5 million roster bonus, which was already guaranteed, to a signing bonus. They took $8.79 million of his salary, which was going to become guaranteed in a few days, and added it to his $20 million option bonus…Placing Donald on the retirement list would have caused the Rams to take on a $28.5 million cap charge at a minimum so this gives the Rams a little more room to work with.”