Aaron Donald … April

Uh, is @AaronDonald97 the best defensive player in the league because he trains against actual knives? 😮 (via @2_10ths) pic.twitter.com/3PgJAjqBUk

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) April 1, 2018

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The knives ain’t real hahah

— AD_99 (@AaronDonald97) April 1, 2018

In case you were thinking this is dangerous, these are fake knives. Just take a minute to appreciate the hand work and fluidity. Beast!! When hard work meets talent.

— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) April 2, 2018

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Aaron Donald’s scary-looking workout was real, but the knives apparently were not

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/04/02/aaron-donalds-scary-looking-workout-was-real-but-the-knives-apparently-were-not/?utm_term=.9cd5221f65cb

It would seem that Aaron Donald’s training session, video of which caused quite a stir Sunday, was not an April Fools’ Day prank. However, the Rams defensive lineman eventually acknowledged that the knives involved — yes, knives — were not “real.”

That information undoubtedly came as a relief to the Rams and their fans, not to mention anyone else who has enjoyed watching the 2017 NFL defensive player of the year wreck opposing offenses. Until his clarification, it sure looked like Donald’s frightening workout was meant to provide an exceedingly painful incentive for him to keep swatting away the arms of his training partner.

The knives ain’t real hahah

— AD_99 (@AaronDonald97) April 1, 2018

Okay, so the knives were not, in fact, a threat to leave Donald bleeding all over the turf while learning how to defeat blockers.

In retrospect, the Rams would have been looking daggers at anyone even thinking about putting their star defensive player in that much actual peril during an offseason workout. Nevertheless, it’s not hard to imagine that even props-department knives could produce an effective psychological reaction, and they certainly did on the Internet, which had some sharp takes on the video.

If the video wasn’t as scary as it initially appeared, the thought that Donald is working hard to get better has to be legitimately terrifying to the Rams’ opponents. Statistics rarely do justice to interior defenders, but Donald still racked up some impressive numbers in 2017 with 32 tackles, 11 sacks, five forced fumbles and one pass defensed, and of which came in just 14 games.

In 2018, Donald will be paired with the Rams’ most recent acquisition, Ndamukong Suh, giving offensive linemen twice as many nightmares. The former Dolphins and Lions star figures to occupy his share of blockers, allowing Donald even more chances to slice through lines and carve up quarterbacks.

In the meantime, take it from Eagles defensive lineman Chris Long, who would know a thing or two about how much value Donald got from his training session, to point out that the blades involved were the only dull aspect to the video.

What I expect to see new from Aaron this year:

I think this is the year he figures out that all that work and all those tactics to get around linemen isn’t worth it when all you really have to do is pick the guy up and throw him at the quarterback.

#MondayMotivation brought to you by @AaronDonald97 😳 pic.twitter.com/sj0H5tP5ij

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 9, 2018

i bet he’s a great hugger.

but seriously. i’ll be pissed if they don’t extend this guy. let’s get this contract done already and then move on to cooks.

from NFL Draft Rumors

ALBERT BREER

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/04/12/cleveland-browns-nfl-draft-rumors-quarterback-mmqb

It’ll be interesting to see which deal gets done first—one for Rams DT Aaron Donald or Raiders DE Khalil Mack. Both are expected to get past Ndamukong Suh’s non-QB record of just under $19.1 million per. The question is who tops whom, something those in the agent community are watching since Donald is repped by CAA and Mack by fellow titan Lagardere. “The agents are in an arm’s race,” said another prominent agent. “And they’re backed by two of the biggest companies in sports entertainment, so money isn’t relevant to them. Looking like they won is.” The two direct agents, by the way, are Todd France (Donald) and Joel Segal (Mack), both of whom have pretty impressive client lists.

3. Part of the issue for Mack may be the Raiders’ willingness to hand over a big number in fully guaranteed money, since they aren’t as cash-rich as some other franchises and those dollars have to be fully funded. Suh’s 2015 deal still has the highest full guarantee for a defensive player in NFL history, at just under $60 million. Denver’s Von Miller is second at $44 million.

Aaron Donald-Khalil Mack debate

Bucky Brooks

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000926403/article/josh-allenbrowns-talk-is-real-aaron-donaldkhalil-mack-debate

THE DONALD-MACK DEBATE: Is inside or outside pressure more valuable?

We keep talking about the NFL being a quarterback-driven league, but this offseason could change that narrative when the past two Defensive Player of the Year recipients sign deals that pay them “quarterback money” for their dominance as disruptive pass rushers.

Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack are each on the verge of breaking the bank. Both fifth-year pros, Donald and Mack are in line for lucrative contract extensions following a series of spectacular campaigns that confirmed their status as elite players. This will put pass rushers in the spotlight, forcing executives to think deeper about the value of particular quarterback hunters in the team-building process.

For years, general managers, personnel execs and scouts ranked pass rusher as the second-most important position in football, with most citing defensive end/outside linebacker as the marquee spot on defense. But lately, with pass-rushing defensive tackles or inside sub-package rushers taking over games in critical moments, I sense that sentiment changing. Teams are increasingly looking to win with A-gap (space between the offensive guard and center) pressure, due to the chaos and disruption at the point of attack. For immobile quarterbacks, in particular, pressure from the middle of the line completely disrupts their timing in the pocket and blurs their vision and/or blocks available passing lanes.

That’s why I’m fascinated to see the numbers Donald and Mack will tally at the end of their negotiations, because it will shed light on just how valuable executives view premier inside and outside pass rushers at the moment. From a contract perspective, each player is looking at a deal that should feature somewhere around the $60 million guaranteed Ndamukong Suh received as part of his six-year, $114 million contract in 2015 and the $70 million in guarantees included in Von Miller’s six-year, $114.5 million deal in 2016.

NFL Network’s Steve Wyche says Mack is seeking guarantees in excess of $65 million. Meanwhile, Donald’s apparently on the verge of becoming the highest-paid defensive player in the league. Based on their production and performance as disruptive sack artists, they are certainly worthy of getting deals that place them near the figure commanded by top quarterbacks: $20 million-plus per season. Mack has amassed 40.5 sacks in four years, including 36.5 over the past three. He also has added nine forced fumbles as the Raiders’ designated pass rusher. Donald has been just as productive as a disruptor, with 39 sacks and nine forced fumbles to his name. He has also delivered 108 QB hits during that span (compared to 84 from Mack), while amassing 72 tackles for loss (Mack has 68) as a destructive force on the interior.

Given Mack and Donald’s emergence as elite defenders in a league full of blue-chippers, it is not surprising that executives are looking for clones at their respective positions. With that in mind, I thought I would pose a question to a handful of my scouting buddies to see how they view pass rushers, and more specifically, what kinds of pass rushers they prefer. Would you want to build your defense around an inside or outside pass rusher? Here are some of their responses …

AFC assistant general manager: “I’m old school, so I’m going to go for the edge rusher.”

AFC college scouting director: “I would take an inside rusher like [Aaron Donald] or Warren Sapp because they can disrupt the interior line, which will affect both the run and pass. Plus, the pressure in the face of the quarterback is better than an edge rusher because he can be pushed around the edge.”

NFC pro personnel director: “You can’t go wrong with either one, but the inside rusher makes a bigger impact. If you can affect the quarterback immediately up the middle or disrupt the run up the middle, it messes up plays from the jump.”

AFC pro personnel director: “I’ve always been taught that you build your defense from inside out. I’m going to go for the inside pass rusher because he can completely disrupt the game.”

A second NFC pro personnel director: “Philosophically, you would want to take the edge rusher, but Aaron Donald’s success clouds the debate. … It’s easier to create matchup problems on the inside because teams can always turn protections to edge guys and use running backs and tight ends to help the offensive tackle.”

Former NFL vice president of personnel: “Ideally, you would take the edge rusher because they command so much attention. But when you see a guy like Donald dominate from inside, it makes you re-think that a little bit.”

I find it interesting that the overwhelming majority of executives I spoke to preferred the inside rusher over the edge rusher. That’s a drastic philosophical shift from what I was taught when I entered the business. Yet, it falls in line with what one of my old coaches told me as a young player. Dick Jauron, my defensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars, said a defense should be strong down the middle, and that you need to build it with that premise in mind. He told me that philosophy is true in all sports (point guard and center in basketball; catcher, pitcher, shortstop, second baseman and center fielder in baseball), which is interesting when you consider the entirety of his point.

From a statistical standpoint, the argument doesn’t necessarily hold up when looking at the sack numbers from the 2017 season. The top 23 sack producers were listed as defensive ends/outside linebackers before Geno Atkins appears on the list with 9.0 sacks as a defensive tackle. (Donald is listed as a 3-4 defensive end, but plays inside in the Rams’ nickel rush package.)

That brings me back to my fascination with the Donald and Mack contract negotiations. With the majority of evaluators favoring an inside pass rusher, I’m curious to see which guy lands the bigger deal. Compensation reflects value, so we will soon see if the inside rushers (or edge rushers with inside pass-rush ability) become the new marquee players on the defensive roster.

Aaron Donald not expected to show when Rams begin voluntary offseason workouts Monday

Gary Klein

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-offseason-workouts-20180415-story.html

Several new high-profile players, including cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh and receiver Brandin Cooks, can introduce themselves to Rams teammates Monday when the team begins voluntary offseason workouts in Thousand Oaks.
But one of the team’s biggest stars almost certainly will not be part of the greeting party. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald, once again, is not expected to participate in the nine-week program. At least not until he gets a new contract.

Donald earned only $1.8 million in 2017 and is due to make $6.9 million this season in the fifth and final year of his rookie deal. But the reigning NFL defensive player of the year is thought to be seeking an extension that would pay him more than $20 million per season.
A Donald absence would be a familiar scenario for second-year coach Sean McVay. Last year Donald sat out voluntary workouts, did not participate in drills during a mandatory minicamp and stayed away from training camp to make a statement about his contract situation — and to avoid injury.

It did not affect his performance: He recorded 11 sacks and helped the Rams win the NFC West and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. So McVay does not figure to worry about Donald’s preparation for the season.
General manager Les Snead has said the Rams and Donald’s representatives have a “timeline” for discussions about a new deal but declined to offer specifics, insisting only that signing Donald remains a priority.
“The goal is still the same,” he said, “Make Aaron Donald a Ram for a long, long time.”
The first two weeks of the offseason program, as mandated by the collective bargaining agreement, can include only strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation.

The next three weeks can include on-field, individual player instruction and drills but none that pit offensive players against defensive players. The final four weeks can include 10 days of organized-team practice, commonly known as OTAs. No live contact is permitted.
Last year McVay had been on the job for not quite three months when the offseason program began. His first task was to lay the groundwork for a new culture while he and his staff taught players new systems on offense and defense.
Now he must build on last season’s success, which included the ascent of quarterback Jared Goff and the rebirth of running back Todd Gurley, the NFL’s offensive player of the year.
The offseason program is expected to help new players get acclimated and, perhaps, provide a proving ground for several returning from injuries or coming back from subpar performances.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein, the NFL’s scoring leader in 2017, underwent back surgery late in the season and was sidelined for the last three games.
Receiver Tavon Austin was not able to participate fully in the offseason program last year following wrist surgery. He suffered a hamstring injury during training camp, lost his job as the punt returner and never found a role in McVay’s offense. Last month Austin agreed to restructure his contract to remain with the Rams.

Rams to begin offseason program with Aaron Donald’s contract situation unsettled

RICH HAMMOND

link: https://www.ocregister.com/2018/04/15/rams-to-begin-offseason-program-with-aaron-donalds-contract-situation-unsettled/

The new-look Rams, brought together during a series of major roster moves over the past two months, will be under the same roof Monday morning. Most of them will be, anyway.

The Rams’ offseason program will begin Monday, and the first two weeks are limited by the NFL to conditioning and rehabilitation work. The entire two-month program is optional, and at least one of the Rams’ top players, defensive lineman Aaron Donald, is not expected to participate at the start.

Donald, last season’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year, remains in search of a new contract. Donald has entered the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, but for more than a year, he has sought a new contract with the Rams, who periodically have talked with his agent but have not reached a deal.

Players cannot be disciplined for skipping the optional part of the offseason program, but they can be fined if they miss a mandatory mini-camp at the end. The Rams’ mini-camp is scheduled for mid-June.

Donald sat out most of last year’s offseason program and also held out for the entirety of training camp. He returned to the Rams shortly before the start of the season and missed the first regular-season game, but then turned in a dominant season and helped the Rams win 11 games and a division title.

General Manager Les Snead recently said that he expects Donald to become the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, which would mean a significant increase of his $6.9 million salary for 2018.

Donald’s absence from optional workouts wouldn’t be a dramatic negative for the Rams, given that Donald is known for his fierce workouts when he is away from the team, and because he’s already familiar with the scheme of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Donald will, at some point, have to adjust to playing next to one of the Rams’ new additions, defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, as part of a new-look defense.

The Rams imported Suh and cornerbacks Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Sam Shields, and traded two of their team captains and starting linebackers, Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn. The Rams’ offense returns mostly intact, other than a swap of receivers, with former New England Patriots deep threat Brandin Cooks in and Sammy Watkins out.

$6,892,000(Donald’s wage this year) – $775,000(5th year minimum wage) = $6,117,000 X 5years = $30,585,000. The Rams take Donald’s wage this year and convert it to signing bonus. They can do this for 5 years. He gets ~$31 million dollars this year.

Herzog wrote:

So there can’t be room in this years cap for a raise. Right? I mean in 2018.

Agamemnon wrote:

$6,892,000(Donald’s wage this year) – $775,000(5th year minimum wage) = $6,117,000 X 5years = $30,585,000. The Rams take Donald’s wage this year and convert it to signing bonus. They can do this for 5 years. He gets ~$31 million dollars this year.

Ag’s right of course (though I think it will be 6 years, which just means same thing, different numbers). Plus they can park a big guaranteed hit in 2019, where there;s a lot of cap space.

And they can do the same thing with Cooks.

Aaron Donald Entering Final Season of Rookie Deal –Video

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Louis Riddick talk about Aaron Donald’s contract situation, his value to the Rams, and his dominance in the NFL

zn wrote:

But all this means is that I would like to see him signed. I have no idea what the holdup is. It could be the Rams, it could be Donald, it could be both, it could be neither. We just don’t know.

probably silly but i hope that they’re just secretly delaying the signing for purposes of building up hype during the offseason for ticket sales and the new stadium and such. maybe after the draft they announce the donald signing. followed shortly by a cooks signing.

first the trades to aquire peters and talib. followed shortly by signing suh. then the trade for cooks. the draft. and then cap that off with extending the best defensive player on the planet.

…

but seriously sign the guy.