IF Aaron Donald Really Wants QB Money...

[Merlin]

Starting off with this quote from the recent ESPN article on this topic:

"Donald, who held out so long last summer that he missed the regular-season opener, is heading into the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, set to pay him $6.89 million. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year instead seeks an extension that would make him the game's highest-paid defensive player and potentially put him among the top earners at any position, including quarterbacks."

I am concerned by that quote. My hope is that Gonzalez threw that out there himself, that he doesn't necessarily know something that he picked up on from the Rams. But if it is true... As much as I love the dude then I think now is the time to move him in a blockbuster deal.

Now, I am sure a lot of you will lose your minds at the mere suggestion. But many of you guys lost your minds last offseason when some of us suggested we move Tavon while he still had value, and time has demonstrated that the Rams being ahead of the curve on that decision would have helped them to recoup some value with a guy who clearly did not fit what this staff required.

AD is of course a different deal if it comes down to that. But the same rules apply, where it would be wise of the Rams to get ahead of this and move him while he still has a year left on his contract of team control, not to mention two potential franchise tags for whichever team makes a move for him. Now, some will suggest we can simply do the same thing, but I am not a fan of that direction at this point in time.

I have criticized the Rams for their inability to pay their best players. So suggesting they move their best player is ironic, I realize. But the bottom line is if he's lookin for something in today's QB realm, the Rams need to make the tough decision and move him. Period. The toughest part of winning in this league is making those tough decisions, moving guys who will hold the team back, and signing the top guys who deserve it. AD deserves to get paid, but he doesn't deserve to be paid among the top QBs. And hopefully if the Rams feel that way they'll find the cajones to make the required move.

 

[jrry32]

Enough. We had to hear this all last off-season.

 

[Akrasian]

Starting off with this quote from the recent ESPN article on this topic:

"Donald, who held out so long last summer that he missed the regular-season opener, is heading into the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, set to pay him $6.89 million. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year instead seeks an extension that would make him the game's highest-paid defensive player and potentially put him among the top earners at any position, including quarterbacks."

I am concerned by that quote. My hope is that Gonzalez threw that out there himself, that he doesn't necessarily know something that he picked up on from the Rams. But if it is true... As much as I love the dude then I think now is the time to move him in a blockbuster deal.

Now, I am sure a lot of you will lose your minds at the mere suggestion. But many of you guys lost your minds last offseason when some of us suggested we move Tavon while he still had value, and time has demonstrated that the Rams being ahead of the curve on that decision would have helped them to recoup some value with a guy who clearly did not fit what this staff required.

AD is of course a different deal if it comes down to that. But the same rules apply, where it would be wise of the Rams to get ahead of this and move him while he still has a year left on his contract of team control, not to mention two potential franchise tags for whichever team makes a move for him. Now, some will suggest we can simply do the same thing, but I am not a fan of that direction at this point in time.

I have criticized the Rams for their inability to pay their best players. So suggesting they move their best player is ironic, I realize. But the bottom line is if he's lookin for something in today's QB realm, the Rams need to make the tough decision and move him. Period. The toughest part of winning in this league is making those tough decisions, moving guys who will hold the team back, and signing the top guys who deserve it. AD deserves to get paid, but he doesn't deserve to be paid among the top QBs. And hopefully if the Rams feel that way they'll find the cajones to make the required move.

Depends on the offer. Three years of control for cheap would be fine - but yeah, if the right offer comes, I'm for it.

During the holdout I suggested the Rams trade him, seeking some high picks but a ton of mid round picks spread over years, so the Rams can have depth for years to come and not be killed by players becoming expensive at the same time.

But as I said - it depends on the offer. I don't believe any player should be untradeable, though in practice there are some for whom you will never receive a realistic offer.

 

[Ram65]

I always thought the Rams should listen to trade offers. This year and 2 F Tags could work too. As stated last year there is no simple answer.

 

[tempests]

What's "QB money", what Cousins and Grabmypole got? No, I don't think he's asking for that much.

If he wants Ndamukong Suh money that's reasonable enough for me. He 's outplayed his rookie contract by a ridiculous margin.

 

[FrantikRam]

I have been in the camp that you don't pay non QBs that much money. But I've accepted that we're going to.

Once we do, we will probably just have a 3 year window with Goff and/or Gurley still being cheap.

 

[wolfdogg]

I doubt he's going to be so unreasonable that he's sent packing but I would hope to god that it wouldn't be to anyone in our division. The first pick would have to be a top 10 pick so the rams could get vea. Then add Richardson from the Seahawks and since wed have a new 2nd, I'd use our 3rd and another pick to move up and get Edmunds. So vea, Edmunds and Richardson would all be rams this year. I could probably get on board for that, but only if donald is being unreasonable.

 

[Selassie I]

HOF players are worth every penny.

 

[Jacobarch]

Enough. We had to hear this all last off-season.

Seriously

 

[LACHAMP46]

hope he knows who he plays for....I think Bradford was the only top paid player EVER in horns...top is Salary for a season...and only cause of that rookie deal stuff...he was the top paid rookie qb, ever, at the time.

 

[Legatron4]

Aaron Donald needs to play in a league above the NFL. He’s actually too good to pay him. Because there’s no amount of money that equals his dominant performance.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I wouldn’t trade Donald for any draft picks. Donald is a sure thing and unlike Suh, comes with zero character concerns.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I've written many times that I am very conflicted by the contract talk with Donald.

Stud at his position... But, it's at DT... not the most common place for that kind of cap allocation.

When we see players leave because we have to absorb a contract like his and (eventually) Goff... I think we're not going to be happy campers around here. Some good players won't be able to stay.

I am glad I don't have to make this decision.

 

[Adi]

Have to pay him, he is the best defensive player in the leauge.

Would never trade him , he is a face of the franchise and you want to build around this guy. You can find free agents and draft other positions.

Let's say he plays DE, does that make people more comfortable with him being payed?

 

[BonifayRam]

I've written many times that I am very conflicted by the contract talk with Donald.

Stud at his position... But, it's at DT... not the most common place for that kind of cap allocation.

When we see players leave because we have to absorb a contract like his and (eventually) Goff... I think we're not going to be happy campers around here. Some good players won't be able to stay.

I am glad I don't have to make this decision.

Very perceptive post CGI. Most do not fully understand what a franchised QB sized contract for a 3 tech DT will do (damage) to this Ram team in the long term in keeping good surrounding talent on the team. Most will refuse to even let that thought enter their minds.Fact is there will be ramifications in paying AD a Suh sized contract. I for one see more negative than positive.alm:

Rams will have to make some major upgrades in this run defense to take it to the next step to a Championship. Upgrade in Talents & Skills level must be infused here in this off season without taking our future salary cap into the RED. That points to near perfect pin point hits in FA'cy & in the 2018 Draft. Not an easy objective for this Ram Org. I would hope that there's a path that this Ram Org. can complete this high wire act without falling off :death:to an early demise.

If indeed AD & his agent is demanding Franchised QB size contract then Keeping AD happy is going to be very hard. I would expect a nasty situation :sadwalk:no mater what happens here.I do not want to be the next NFC western divisional crown to fall into disrepair first it was the 9ers, then the Cards now the Seahawks.

But this is an ESPN report is it not??

Below is the latest I can find on this matter .....

Rams 'came up with a timeline' for Aaron Donald's contract extension
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...ract-extension-les-snead-sean-mcvay-timeline/

As busy as Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams have been, one pending move still hangs over their heads. The reason for that is because the decision doesn’t necessarily have a hard deadline this offseason.Of course, we’re talking about Aaron Donald’s pending extension.

The Rams put it off until now after having the chance to extend him last offseason, likely for less money than it’ll cost them this year. After all, he is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.At the NFL Scouting Combine, Snead said they were going to meet with Donald’s representatives. Those meetings are ongoing as they work toward a contract extension, but the Rams are making more progress now than ever before.

During a media session on Wednesday, Snead said the team has carved out a timeline in which to get a deal done.“Obviously, they represent other players, and coming into this weekend, they’re juggling a lot of things too,” Snead said, via ESPN. “We came up with a nice timeline that we’re going to work with, and we’ll get to work and try to hammer this thing out. The theme will always be that we want Aaron to be a Ram a long time.”

No one in their right mind will tell you Donald doesn’t deserve to be one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, if not the top-paid defender. He’s quite possibly the most dominant force in the NFL, constantly disrupting opposing offenses.

And while he may not be among the league leaders in sacks, that’s not his job. Sure, he offers plenty as a pass rusher, but his job is to wreak havoc up front, change the way offenses approach the Rams’ defense and make impactful plays.

Check. Check. And Check.As it stands right now, Donald will make $6.89 million in 2018 on the fifth-year option. Believe it or not, but that’s a significant bump in pay over last season when he made just $3.2 million in the final year of his rookie contract.

When the Rams sign him long-term, it’ll likely mean paying him $20 million annually. Right now, Von Miller is the top-paid defender in the NFL at $19 million per year, followed by DeMarcus Lawrence and Ezekiel Ansah, who are both making $17.14 million on the franchise tag in 2018.

The Rams hope to get a deal done before offseason activities began, and at the very latest, before training camp kicks off. Sean McVay will do his part once again this offseason after flying out to meet Donald’s representatives last year, only it’ll be easier now than it was then.

“Until the issue is fully resolved, you never know exactly how it’s going to play out,” McVay said. “What I do feel better about is the personal relationship that Aaron and I have now established, having been together over a year. I think one of the things that was unique to that is when he holds out, when he’s not taking part in the offseason programs or in training camp, there’s no personal rapport that prior to that even existed. So, it was a lot easier for him to ignore my texts. Now, I think it’ll be a little bit more difficult. I can be more persistent.”

 

[Merlin]

Enough. We had to hear this all last off-season.

Disagree.

This is the first I've heard of him wanting higher end QB money, and the wording in the article is concerning. Previously what we have discussed is him making around $20M or maybe a little above that. If what Gonzalez is alluding to, that changes things considerably.

But in the end if you don't want to read it feel free to vote with your feet and click on by.

 

[Merlin]

Let's say he plays DE, does that make people more comfortable with him being payed?

Even if he was a DE there's no way I pay him "among the top earners at any position, including quarterbacks."

 

[FrantikRam]

I've written many times that I am very conflicted by the contract talk with Donald.

Stud at his position... But, it's at DT... not the most common place for that kind of cap allocation.

When we see players leave because we have to absorb a contract like his and (eventually) Goff... I think we're not going to be happy campers around here. Some good players won't be able to stay.

I am glad I don't have to make this decision.

Just to add onto this..

A QB is worth that money because he will directly impact how successful your offense is (if you pay the right QB).

But the tough part for me is that we've had a below average defense in some way shape or form for pretty much the entirety of Donald's career thus far. I'd be much more open to pay him if he was the driving force behind a top 5 pass D and run D.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I still don't believe paying these guys will cripple our team.

But for the sake of argument, If and when a really tough decision needs to be made by letting go of one of our best players because of money the smarter choice would be not paying Gurley. You can find uber talented RB's MUCH more easily than DT's like Donald.

 

[bwdenverram]

He should get in the area of 5-6 years at anywhere from 18-22m per. He’s worth every penny. He’s a future HOF and I’d rather not see us screw up losing the best DT we’ve ever had. Maybe top 5 all time.