Aaron Donald’s contract situation

[LACHAMP46]

IF the Rams don't get Donald signed real soon it will be there biggest Blunder in my life-time!

Dickerson, Bettis....then Donald...and I love Donald....but Dickerson was my favorite Ram....kick Youngblood of the top....after he left...put Youngblood back where he belonged.

 

[dieterbrock]

It’s not unprecedented to get an elite player signed before free agency. It was done with guys like JJ Watt and Von Miller. Now we need to get Donald’s deal done before it becomes a bigger issue. Signing our top players has been a problem for this front office.

As for the NBA, I’m not a fan of how they do it. Sure, every max deal is capped but elite players have all the power in the NBA. They sign deals that they can opt out of at the end of the season and run off somewhere else. The teams accept these deals because one player elite player in the NBA usually makes more of a difference than 5 decent ones.

Yeah waiting for a guy to be FA before re-signing just doesn't make any sense any more. Sign them before the carrot is within reach.
As for the NBA, that league runs so amok, players facilitating their own trades etc. Nuts. Personally, the sign and trade is the worst and is the key issue with the NBA and I hope never becomes part of the NFL vocabulary

 

[Turducken]

I really hope the Rams can sign Aaron Donald to a Long-Term contract soon but in the meantime I am curious just how long can the Rams keep him by tagging him every season?

They can tag him (in theory) for 10 straight years, but it becomes very expensive after year 3 because it hurts up 20% per year. First tag year is based on a formula factoring in average pay of top players at that position. Estimates are that 2019 DT yr1 tag will be around $14-15mil. Year 2 is at least 120% of year 1 tag price. Year 3 is 144%. Year 4 (unheard of) would be 173%. Y5 about 209%.

AD would be theoretically affordable to tag through 4 years, but it wouldnt be in anyone's interest. AD wants guaranteed money rather than year to year.

 

[So Ram]

Dickerson, Bettis....then Donald...and I love Donald....but Dickerson was my favorite Ram....kick Youngblood of the top....after he left...put Youngblood back where he belonged.

Kevin Greene

 

[So Ram]

McVay can talk with him all the time, makes no difference. Its all about Donald agent and Snead/Demoff
Its the same stuff until he signs or doesn't.
Surprised a Donald thread ever makes it off page 1

I thought McVay went to Donald’s place last season during an exhibition game ?

The relationship is that much tighter. Just have to give it time.

 

[dieterbrock]

I thought McVay went to Donald’s place last season during an exhibition game ?

The relationship is that much tighter. Just have to give it time.

Not saying they don't have a relationship, just saying that McVay isn't writing the check. They can be as thick as thieves but if Snead/Demoff cant come to terms with Donald's agent, they can become long distance buddies

 

[So Ram]

Not saying they don't have a relationship, just saying that McVay isn't writing the check. They can be as thick as thieves but if Snead/Demoff cant come to terms with Donald's agent, they can become long distance buddies

I don’t think Snead has that much say either on the contract.

 

[PhillyRam]

Problem is there will be pressure on him and his agents from NFLPA for him to get top dollar since it ups everyone's pay scale.

 

[Ken]

Problem is there will be pressure on him and his agents from NFLPA for him to get top dollar since it ups everyone's pay scale.

True. And he deserves top non-QB dollar. And if the Rams don't want to pay it, then they should trade him for as large a haul as they can get. It's disrespectful to tag him and try to force him to play and risk injury for millions less than he has earned. It's not a good look for the Rams, IMO. And AD would probably not sign the tag and hold out if they were to try this. But I'll remain optimistic that they'll come to a long term agreement soon. If not, I think this is the last season you'll see AD wearing a Rams uni.

 

[dieterbrock]

Problem is there will be pressure on him and his agents from NFLPA for him to get top dollar since it ups everyone's pay scale.

Don't know about that. IF they were going to pressure at all it would have been to sign last year. Would be a great precedent to set, rookie contracts being renegotiated after year 3? Home run...

 

[OC_Ram]

I’d hope, at this stage of the game, Kroenke is selling 15 mil in Walmart stock at a discounted 1 mil price

AD, I got this

 

[…..]

turn left at the big rock. drive 2 miles down the dirt road until you see a "V" in the road. Go right. Drive another 2-3 miles and you'll see an old rusty tractor in the field. Pull over, walk up the hill to the tractor. In the engine compartment is a brief case.

We never met.

 

[bubbaramfan]

"When you come to the fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra

 

[nighttrain]

burn this

 

[Ram65]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmzsWxPLIOo

 

[Florida_Ram]

When is it an appropriate time for the Los Angeles Rams fans to be sincerely concerned about a contract extension for DL Aaron Donald?

Was it in 2016 when his response to whether or not he’d be a Ram when the new stadium opens was, “We gon’ see?”

Was it last May when Donald was absent from organized team activities?

Was it in July when his holdout began that would last throughout training camp and the preseason and ultimately forced Head Coach Sean McVay to keep him sidelined for Week 1 of the regular season?

Was it in August when the Rams were unable to sign him to a deal prior to his fourth NFL season, something the team was able to achieve with OLB Robert Quinn and WR Tavon Austin?

Was it in September when Pro Football Talk reported that the Rams and Donald were “not close” in coming to terms?

Was it in January when Rams General Manager suggested that re-signing Donald wasn’t the top priority this offseason?

Was it January January 25, 2018 when Les Snead said “But Aaron is always going to be a big part of that puzzle. We’ll always keep room in the budget for Aaron Donald and work around him.”

Was it in March when the Rams were able to sign DL Ndamukong Suh on a one-year rental?

Was it last month when we learned from the LA Times’ Gary Klein that Donald will not participate in this year’s offseason program?

Will it be when we get to OTAs and Donald is absent?

Will it be when he’s forced to show up to training camp without a new deal to avoid losing an accrued season?

Will it be when the 2018 season begins and Donald is playing in the final year of his contract without an extension?
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2018/5/9/17336314/los-angeles-rams-aaron-donald-contract-extension

The odds of the Rams and Donald agreeing on an extension before the 2018 preseason ends is probably in the 60/40 range to get resolved.

Too bad us fans have to endure the suspense of what the Rams believe Donald's long term contract value is compared to what his agent is pushing for.

I'm assuming Donald's agent is holding strong for 20 to 22 million per year 5-7 year contract with 70% fully guaranteed.

 

[OldSchool]

 

[Ken]

I'm assuming Donald's agent is holding strong for 20 to 22 million per year 5-7 year contract with 70% fully guaranteed.

That's in line with what he's worth. Might actually end up being a bargain. The Rams FO shouldn't hesitate if that's the asking price. If he's asking for 24-25 + mil/year, then I can understand the holdup. Then the Rams may have to tag him with the intention of trading him for what they can get. But if he's asking what you're hypothesizing and they don't get it done, I'll be super pissed at the Rams FO stupidity.

 

[AvengerRam]

You don’t let future HOFers leave in their prime.

 

[8to12]

If the front office is unable to sign Aaron then it’s time for a new front office. That has been the priority for a couple years now and we need the franchise tag for guys like Marcus Peters and Brandin Cooks.

Not sure I understand the logic. First, regarding the 2 players mentioned, no one knows yet what Cooks and his agent are looking for yet in an extended contract. We don't know if the Franchise tag is necessary.
Second, wouldn't it make better sense to use the tag on a player that's asking for a much higher percentage over the average of their position? ie, hypothetical, if the average of the 5 highest paid CB's was 14-Mil a season and your player is asking 16, you would work with them to come to an agreement because the difference is so small. On the other hand, if the average wage for a player is 14-mil and they're asking fro 20-mil, then use the Tag. You'll pay the player more than 14 but less than 20
IMO, teams that pay non-QB players in the range of 20-mil per season, the amount I have heard mentioned to sign A. Donald, do not stay competitive for long. 75% of the teams that went to the playoffs last year didn't have a defender on their roster with a salary over 15-mil.