Aaron Donald's agent Todd France has history that could mean trouble for the Rams

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JKBOGEN

JAKE OLIVER ELLENBOGEN
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Aaron Donald's agent Todd France has history that could mean trouble for the Rams

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Remember last year when the Los Angeles Rams took Jared Goff number one overall, Carson Wentz went number two to the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Los Angeles Chargers (San Diego at the time) took Joey Bosa? Well, unlike the first two selections, Bosa gave his team a little bit of a rough time during the training camp/preseason period.

Joey Bosa was represented by none other than Todd France, a super agent with CAA Sports agency. France made negotiations of Bosa's rookie deal extremely hard to come by for the Chargers. Both sides went back and forth, bear in mind this was only over the language in the rookie contract. Bosa ended up holding out until August 29th, 2016. Bosa stayed patient, while I'm sure as well as the next one he wanted to be out there participating and playing in games. It's pretty obvious he just decided to listen to France and holdout to avoid injury and ultimately fix the offset language in the impending contract.

Now, Bosa has proven his worth after a dominant rookie year, but who is France in protection of now? Aaron Donald. That's right, the Rams prized possession and face of the defensive side of the ball. Donald has been terrorizing offensive lines, running backs and quarterbacks since he entered the league via the 2014 NFL Draft. Donald has watched as the Rams not only struggled on the field, but even off it failing to re-sign defensive backs Trumaine Johnson, Janoris Jenkins, Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald. Donald has also watched and has seen teammates Mark Barron, William Hayes, Tavon Austin and Michael Brockers receive extensions. Now, with the Rams planning to re-up Alec Ogletree and LaMarcus Joyner, it appears that Donald is tired of waiting his turn for a pay raise.

France has influenced Donald to go after that big time pay day and even result to holding out like his client Joey Bosa did last season. France is known for getting the most for his clients. Just look at a few of his clients and what deals he got them.

WR Demaryius Thomas - 5 years/$70,000,000
WR Emmanuel Sanders - 3 years/$33,000,000
DT Marcell Dareus - 6 years/ $96,574,118
DT Fletcher Cox - 6 years/$102,600,000
CB Aqib Talib - 6 years/57,000,000

Why is this trouble for the Rams? Again, Bosa was just holding out based on language in his contract that needed to be changed. Aaron Donald? This is a new unprecedented thing in itself. France is responsible for contracts of two of the top five highest paid defensive tackles in the league. Donald happens to be a lot better than every single one of them in the top five. He also happens to be only 26 years old and likely the youngest of the bunch. France could be looking at having Donald holdout well into the season for a contract. If Bosa held out until late August, expect Donald to seriously holdout into the regular season. The earlier reports from Adam Schefter may seem crazy that Donald would do that, but with France's track record, he would.

France has proven time and time again he is going to bat and he is going to be extremely aggressive for his clients. Donald is likely his top client now as he is arguably a top three player in all of football. So, the rules may bend a little and that is why we may have heard of a potential opt-out clause getting in the way. The bottom line is, France's job is to get his client (Aaron Donald) the most guaranteed money and the Rams job is to re-sign their star player for a good enough value so that they don't set themselves back years. The Rams are going to need money left over to sign the likes of first overall pick QB Jared Goff, tenth overall pick RB Todd Gurley and even newly-acquired former fourth overall pick WR Sammy Watkins.

With Donald having a world-class agent, the Rams are going to be backed into a tough corner and might not see Donald until during the regular season or even after. If that indeed comes to fruition the Rams may only have one choice and that may involve a trade. Keep in mind, the Chargers may have signed Bosa to his rookie deal, but there is no reason to think France is done tormenting the Chargers over contracts. What you saw with Bosa in his holdout you are seeing with Donald. What you are seeing with Donald about his extension in year three, you will likely see with Bosa. The Rams, their fans, and teammates can only hope this gets resolved soon, because that no.99 is a game-breaking type player that a young team with a completely new system and coaching staff in place will need to succeed in 2017.
 

RamDino

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IIRC, Bosa's holdout was because San Diego was trying to cheap out. The rookie contracts are set in stone, but the Chargers tried to change some of the language (ie-they wanted the signing bonus stretched out instead of being paid the first year, in case they cut him). Goff and Ramsey, two of the players selected "around" Bosa got their signing bonus fully guaranteed the first year. Bosa should have held out. Completely different situation from Donald.
 

JKBOGEN

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IIRC, Bosa's holdout was because San Diego was trying to cheap out. The rookie contracts are set in stone, but the Chargers tried to change some of the language (ie-they wanted the signing bonus stretched out instead of being paid the first year, in case they cut him). Goff and Ramsey, two of the players selected "around" Bosa got their signing bonus fully guaranteed the first year. Bosa should have held out. Completely different situation from Donald.
My point was they aren't going to pull anything over on France. This was less of a big deal than Donald's thing is right now.
 

thirteen28

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If Donald wants to sit this year, ultimately he's only hurting himself, because then he WILL lose a year of eligibility and the Rams will still have all the leverage. It's fine that he wants to get the most for his client, but he is starting to push things into an area where it's more in his interests than in Donald's. Still, Donald needs to remember he's in charge and is ultimately responsible for what France is doing and how he's negotiating. Donald's retention of France can only be interpreted as approval.

France shouldn't get too big for his britches. The Rams had similar problems with Orlando Pace, whose agents were a couple of flaming a--holes, Carl and Kevin Poston. They used to play hardball too and be quite unreasonable, and led Pace to a long holdout in his rookie year followed by two consecutive franchise tags. Pace finally wised up, fired the a--holes, and lo and behold was signed to a long term deal not long thereafter. The Postons meanwhile, continued to burn their bridges, even earning a suspension from the NFL for a couple of years. They are still active now, but they don't seem to get any of the big clients anymore, and teams don't like to deal with them. Their current status was truly earned by their flaming a--holery, and if France wants to hold clients out when the team has most of the leverage and ask for unreasonable things like a 3 year opt-out clause (if true) coupled with lots of guaranteed money, then he will eventually earn the same fate as the Postons.
 

JKBOGEN

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If Donald wants to sit this year, ultimately he's only hurting himself, because then he WILL lose a year of eligibility and the Rams will still have all the leverage. It's fine that he wants to get the most for his client, but he is starting to push things into an area where it's more in his interests than in Donald's. Still, Donald needs to remember he's in charge and is ultimately responsible for what France is doing and how he's negotiating. Donald's retention of France can only be interpreted as approval.

France shouldn't get too big for his britches. The Rams had similar problems with Orlando Pace, whose agents were a couple of flaming a--holes, Carl and Kevin Poston. They used to play hardball too and be quite unreasonable, and led Pace to a long holdout in his rookie year followed by two consecutive franchise tags. Pace finally wised up, fired the a--holes, and lo and behold was signed to a long term deal not long thereafter. The Postons meanwhile, continued to burn their bridges, even earning a suspension from the NFL for a couple of years. They are still active now, but they don't seem to get any of the big clients anymore, and teams don't like to deal with them. Their current status was truly earned by their flaming a--holery, and if France wants to hold clients out when the team has most of the leverage and ask for unreasonable things like a 3 year opt-out clause (if true) coupled with lots of guaranteed money, then he will eventually earn the same fate as the Postons.
That was an awesome reply. I agree and I am happy you shared some knowledge. I'm only 21, wasn't aware of all that contract dispute with Pace. Very good insight.
 

Jacobarch

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He looks like such a douche, mega douche... anyone who wears their collar popped needs to be taken out back and have their nose bloodied.

AD isn't bigger than this team. Rams hold all the cards believe it or not and they aren't going to budge. Fact is, if he holds out he pays fines and still remains on the rams roster. His contract doesn't just go away. I get he's trying to get paid because he's the best DT in the league but that doesn't justify stupidity. I could understand if it were after this year, good players do that all the time. If im not mistaken we did it for TA. Whether or not we agree with TA's contract is besides the point. If, and that's a big IF AD comes to his senses and breaks his holdout he still gets paid next year. Even if he gets hurt, the man is still going to get paid. If he keeps holding out, he'll stay on the rams roster for the next two years doing nothing and teams will see that and in the long run he will be losing out on millions and millions of dollars.
 
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Riverumbbq

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My point was they aren't going to pull anything over on France. This was less of a big deal than Donald's thing is right now.

They don't have to hold anything over France or Donald, the Rams have all the leverage. I'd gladly take Donald for 8 games at half his projected salary of $3.225mil than be on the hook for $20mil for 16 games. Same goes for next year when he would be receiving his 5'th year option. At least we know that when he comes in during the middle of the season he'd be fresh, healthy and ready for a play-off run. If Donald and his agent want to play games, so can the Rams. jmo.
 

JKBOGEN

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He looks like such a douche, mega douche... anyone who wears their collar popped needs to be taken out back and have their nose bloodied.

AD isn't bigger than this team. Rams hold all the cards believe it or not and they aren't going to budge. Fact is, if he holds out he pays fines and still remains on the rams roster. His contract doesn't just go away. I get he's trying to get paid because he's the best DT in the league but that doesn't justify stupidity. I could understand if it were after this year, good players do that all the time. If im not mistaken we did it for TA. Whether or not we agree with TA's contract is besides the point. If, and that's a big IF AD comes to his senses and breaks his holdout he still gets paid next year. Even if he gets hurt, the man is still going to get paid. If he keeps holding out, he'll stay on the rams roster for the next two years doing nothing and teams will see that and in the long run he will be losing out on millions and millions of dollars.
Absolutely agree with all of that. That popped collar thing I never noticed. God damn that is total douche baggery.
 

JKBOGEN

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They don't have to hold anything over France or Donald, the Rams have all the leverage. I'd gladly take Donald for 8 games at half his projected salary of $3.225mil than be on the hook for $20mil for 16 games. Same goes for next year when he would be receiving his 5'th year option. At least we know that when he comes in during the middle of the season he'd be fresh, healthy and ready for a play-off run. If Donald and his agent want to play games, so can the Rams. jmo.
Also agree with that. The Rams are in trouble as far as him not playing is what I mean. Obviously, I am fully on the Rams side. People choose to hate on Snead and Co. when something like this happens, but never credit him when things go well (which was this entire off-season including the Watkins trade...)
 

yrba1

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Had a sneaking suspicion that France is a greedy fuckboi of an agent. Hope AD will be the last client he's representing as an NFL agent
 

rdlkgliders

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An agent should represent a clients interest not vice versa. Agents only get a piece so the bigger the pie...
Being an agent is cut throat but if the player leans to much on the agent without any barriers we get this.
The only victims will soon be his team mates, coaching staff and us fans. Man up AD and demand some movement. Until the final week of pre season I am not to worried but if the holdout exceeds that I am not going to be very sympathetic to the cause.
 

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He looks like such a douche, mega douche... anyone who wears their collar popped needs to be taken out back and have their nose bloodied.

Absolutely agree with all of that. That popped collar thing I never noticed. God damn that is total douche baggery.

You all do realize that is Bosa in the OP, yes? I don't see a popped collar, but I sure as shit see a porn stache....
 

Jacobarch

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You all do realize that is Bosa in the OP, yes? I don't see a popped collar, but I sure as crap see a porn stache....

Is that lol???? Haha i dont know what he looks like.
And not a popped collar but the collar is over the jacket. Dunno what else to call it. Other than douche. Looks like hes about to star in a 1970s porn
 

LACHAMP46

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He looks like such a douche, mega douche... anyone who wears their collar popped needs to be taken out back and have their nose bloodied.
That's Joey Bosa....LOL!!!

Great read Jake....I'm a lil worried about a year long hold out...IMO....AD still owns all the leverage...
 

SteezyEndo

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You all do realize that is Bosa in the OP, yes? I don't see a popped collar, but I sure as crap see a porn stache....

Its obviously 5 o clock somewhere....Lol i thought the same i was like that isnt Todd French.