So is Aaron Donald “not living up to his contract” ?
I read that from time to time.
When a player comes out of college does he have much choice about what kind of contract he is going to sign? Doesnt the NFL-corporate-policy kinda lock players into rookie-contracts basically? Or not? I dunno.
Do rookies really have much say in their contracts these days? Isnt it kindof a take-it-or-leave-it situation now for rookies in the NFL?
So, I’m not sure its totally fair to say a player like Donald is “not living up to his contract”
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You may hear that but the people saying that have a VERY selective view of the situation.
The Rams bought into the extension and openly said two things that make all his “leverage/contract” talk moot:
from Rams uncertain whether Aaron Donald will report for start of training camp
RICH HAMMOND
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/27/rams-uncertain-whether-aaron-donald-will-report-for-start-of-training-camp/“These are delicate situations,” Snead said.
“I think you have to respect Aaron and his side, in that business move. It’s really all about respect. Yes, we’d love for him to be here. Hope he’s here. It would help if he were here. But if he decides not to, then it’s a thing you have to respect.”
The next bit is Demoff from a 7/30 ESPNLA podcast.
Here;s my transcript. I weave paraphrase in with direct quotes. The “special player/special contract” remark is a direct quote:
* How do you pay AD and still construct the team with other guys you sign? KD: #1, AD is a special player and deserves a special contract. Though sometimes that’s harder to structure when you have 2 years left as opposed to 1 or as opposed to a free agency year. In terms of other guys, it’s harder to evaluate who the other longterm signings should be when you have a new coaching staff. You need Wade and Sean to say, this is the guy we want longterm (2nd contract). So there’s a feeling out period. Maybe a guy who didn’t play a ton last year emerges this year in the new systems and the coaches want HIM. A star last year may not be a fit this year. You don’t have to ask that question with AD—Wade keeps telling KD, hey this is the guy. They have 45-50 M in cap space next year and more beyond that, so there’s plenty of room to take care of others (like Tree and Joyner).
They respect his decision if he stays out of camp.
He is a special player who deserves a special contract.
The minute the Rams said all that, then, “honoring” his old contract is moot. They already admitted that contract is outdated.
There’s just a type that defends management when it comes to contracts, no matter what. The irony is in this case, management is not talking like they are.
And like we’ve seen so many times in the past it’s hard to keep up, the assumption among many is that the team has a fair offer and Donald is disdaining it.
Not only is there no evidence of that, IMO from the few signs and signals we do have, it’s far more likely that the team is lowballing Donald.
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Agamemnon
