IF Aaron Donald Really Wants QB Money...

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

Kevin

Pro Bowler
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Messages
1,382
if you think we can pay all 3 premier money at the same time your crazy. philly doesn't have a premier back to pay next year either. this team has 2 years and then our players will drop like flies for more money. if we pay AD 25m a year then Gurley 15 to 17m then Golf 25+ AD will be cut anyway in 3 years.
Gurley won't get $15-$17 million a year from anybody. He can expect about $7-$9 million at the most.

Team typically use about half their cap on their top seven or eight. Right now, Whitworth is our top cap cost and Joyner is #2. Talib is third. Next year, Whitworth will likely not be on the roster. Joyner will hopefully have a long term contract and his cap hit will be much less. Talib will cost $3 million less in 2019 than he does now. Players will come and go. This off season, the Rams have done a very good job of maintaining cap space. We can't predict the future, but I believe the Rams will be in good shape this time next year. If they draft well, we should be fine for a couple of years.
 

OldSchool

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2022 TOP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
38,385
I think they're a little light in this offer.

https://frontofficenfl.com/2018/03/05/2018-aaron-donald-contract/

Leverage

No disrespect to Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, but Aaron Donald is the best player on the Rams roster. Donald can’t be let go because he can’t be replaced. Although not unrestricted like Suh or even franchised like Miller, Donald’s game gives him all the leverage he needs to reset the market.

Salary Floor: $19 million per season

Miller and Suh’s contracts should serve as the salary floor for Donald’s new deal, with $19 million per as the anchor in negotiations.

Salary Ceiling: $21 million per season

At $21 million per season, Donald would be the 12th-highest paid player in the NFL, behind 11 quarterbacks. On the open market, he would get more, but he’s still at least two seasons away from that.

Contract Projection

Donald will be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player when he signs his next contract. Working up from Suh and Miller, Donald becomes the first defensive player in NFL history to earn $20 million annually.

6 years, $120.0 million, $20 million APY, $60.0 million fully guaranteed
 

dang

Legend
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Messages
6,748
I think they're a little light in this offer.

https://frontofficenfl.com/2018/03/05/2018-aaron-donald-contract/

Leverage

No disrespect to Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, but Aaron Donald is the best player on the Rams roster. Donald can’t be let go because he can’t be replaced. Although not unrestricted like Suh or even franchised like Miller, Donald’s game gives him all the leverage he needs to reset the market.

Salary Floor: $19 million per season

Miller and Suh’s contracts should serve as the salary floor for Donald’s new deal, with $19 million per as the anchor in negotiations.

Salary Ceiling: $21 million per season

At $21 million per season, Donald would be the 12th-highest paid player in the NFL, behind 11 quarterbacks. On the open market, he would get more, but he’s still at least two seasons away from that.

Contract Projection

Donald will be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player when he signs his next contract. Working up from Suh and Miller, Donald becomes the first defensive player in NFL history to earn $20 million annually.

6 years, $120.0 million, $20 million APY, $60.0 million fully guaranteed
The projection seems right in line with his value and the market trending. I could see Donald looking for closer to $70M guaranteed. If the Rams are hard balling much less than this they will be battling bruised egos and agent interference.
 

Zaphod

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Messages
2,217
Can't they just put the franchise tag him for two more years after this one?

I get the urgency of setting him up with a reasonable long term contract, but if that's not what he's looking for, that's when I think you just hold on to him for as long as you can.

Holy smokes if they're going after Suh. With this secondary, it looks like they're trying to bring a super bowl to LA :)

It may be short term thinking, but I still think it's smart.
 

Akrasian

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
4,918
Can't they just put the franchise tag him for two more years after this one?

I get the urgency of setting him up with a reasonable long term contract, but if that's not what he's looking for, that's when I think you just hold on to him for as long as you can.

If he is franchised, then he can just refuse to sign the tag until 5 games are left, report, get a year's service, have the next year's tag be bumped up again. If the Rams remove the tag from him after putting it on him, he is immediately a free agent without compensation picks.

When he held out this past season, even though it was obvious that he was not going to be paid - he still waited to end his holdout to a point where he was officially on the roster, and thus got paid his week 1 game check, but was too late for him to really be effective, so he didn't play. Once he was in, he played very hard - he's enormously competitive - but that competitiveness could translate into being willing to sit out much of the season if that's what it takes to win contract negotiations.

So yes, technically the Rams could tag him for two years. But I doubt that it would mean that the Rams would get 3 seasons of play from him at a bargain price compared to what he is seeking.
 

Zaphod

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Messages
2,217
If he is franchised, then he can just refuse to sign the tag until 5 games are left, report, get a year's service, have the next year's tag be bumped up again. If the Rams remove the tag from him after putting it on him, he is immediately a free agent without compensation picks.

When he held out this past season, even though it was obvious that he was not going to be paid - he still waited to end his holdout to a point where he was officially on the roster, and thus got paid his week 1 game check, but was too late for him to really be effective, so he didn't play. Once he was in, he played very hard - he's enormously competitive - but that competitiveness could translate into being willing to sit out much of the season if that's what it takes to win contract negotiations.

So yes, technically the Rams could tag him for two years. But I doubt that it would mean that the Rams would get 3 seasons of play from him at a bargain price compared to what he is seeking.
Thanks!

One more question, if they do tag him, his year's compensation is somehow determined by his position and location in the draft, or is that arbitrated?

I don't know if it would be anywhere near what he's looking for, but I'm curious because Trumaine Johnson didn't come cheap when he was tagged, which I know is apples and oranges from a cost to performance perspective.
 

Mackeyser

Supernovas are where gold forms; the only place.
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
14,158
Name
Mack
It's determined by the top salaries at the position.

It's why giving Joyner the tag costs only $11M...he's a Safety. Tagging a WR would be $16M.

Doesn't matter where a person was drafted.
 

dieterbrock

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
22,893
Does Donald get tagged as a DT or DE?
Defensive tackle – $13.939 million
Defensive end - $17.143 million
 

Turducken

Starter
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
510
Whatever we do with AD this year has to leave room for the other two triplets. Next year Gurley will expect an extension before he plays under the fifth year option. In 2020 Goff will want the same. I'm hoping we can keep all three of them under contract for about 25% of the cap in 2021 (around $60mil total by then). Having our three best players playing under their rookie contracts is a huge advantage that will only last one more year. That is a lot of what is driving the "all in" mindset for next season. I don't think we'll be competitive if a third of our cap is tied up in three players.
 

dieterbrock

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
22,893
Whatever we do with AD this year has to leave room for the other two triplets. Next year Gurley will expect an extension before he plays under the fifth year option. In 2020 Goff will want the same. I'm hoping we can keep all three of them under contract for about 25% of the cap in 2021 (around $60mil total by then). Having our three best players playing under their rookie contracts is a huge advantage that will only last one more year. That is a lot of what is driving the "all in" mindset for next season. I don't think we'll be competitive if a third of our cap is tied up in three players.
I saw that Rams have about a gazillion dollars in cap room next season, might be when they get hooked up
 

Turducken

Starter
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
510
I saw that Rams have about a gazillion dollars in cap room next season, might be when they get hooked up
Next year our three best players AD, Gurley, Goff will account for 11% of our salary cap. I don't think any other team can claim to field three players of that caliber for less than 15% of their salary cap (maybe Dallas because they still have Dak and Zeke under rookie contracts).
 

Mackeyser

Supernovas are where gold forms; the only place.
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
14,158
Name
Mack
Let’s not forget potentially Marcus Peters as a franchise shutdown corner. If he lives up to expectations, he’s gonna need to be paid and we’ll want to keep him.
 

Merlin

Enjoying the ride
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
37,034
Let’s not forget potentially Marcus Peters as a franchise shutdown corner. If he lives up to expectations, he’s gonna need to be paid and we’ll want to keep him.

Hope so. But right now I view Peters as a 2 year rental pending him growing up. We'll see how that shakes out.
 

Prime Time

PT
Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Messages
20,922
Name
Peter
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...-game-grade-from-an-interior-defender-in-2017

Aaron Donald pass-rushes his way to the top game grade from an interior defender in 2017
BY AUSTIN GAYLE

USATSI_10527792.jpg

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Rams interior defender Aaron Donald, PFF’s No. 1 ranked overall player this past season, earned a career-high and nearly perfect 99.7 overall season grade in 2017. Of course, Donald’s high-end consistency wasn’t without significant peaks, as he earned three of the top-five single-game grades by an interior defender in 2017, the best of which came against the Atlanta Falcons in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Donald, despite in a losing effort, rose to the occasion in his first career playoff game. He recorded 11 total pressures and three defensive stops en route to a 98.6 overall single-game grade.

Screen-Shot-2018-03-26-at-9.10.15-AM.png


Donald dominated the Falcons’ interior offensive line from the start, as he totaled 10 of his 11 pressures through the first 30 minutes of play, tying Houston Texans’ J.J. Watt for the most first half pressures recorded in a single game in the PFF era (2006-2017). Adding to his feat, Donald needed just 20 pass-rush snaps to pick up 10 total pressures, while Watt did so on 30 pass-rush snaps in 2014.

Keeping Atlanta from making proper adjustments, Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips moved Donald up and down the line of scrimmage across multiple positions, allowing his best pass-rusher to attack different matchups. Donald recorded four pressures on 11 pass-rush snaps left of center and another seven on 23 pass-rush snaps right of center. Donald also took snaps inside the guards, opposite of the tackles and off the edge.

Donald’s expansive arsenal of pass-rush moves was also on full display, beating his opposition with ranges of speed, technique and physicality. He recorded five outside pressures, four inside pressures and two bullrush pressures throughout the contest.

As expected, Donald finished the game with the highest pass-rush grade (99.5) by an interior defender in 2017 with his efforts. Though overshadowed by his pass-rushing prowess, he also earned an 87.1 run-defense grade in the contest, his second-best mark of the season.

RUNNERS UP

No. 2 Kenny Clark vs. MIN (Week 6) – 95.1 overall grade

No. 3 Aaron Donald vs. SEA (Week 15) – 94.9 overall grade

No. 4 Geno Atkins vs. HST (Week 2) – 94.8 overall grade

T-No. 5 Gerald McCoy vs. MIA (Week 11) – 94.6 overall grade

T-No. 5 Aaron Donald vs. SEA (Week 5) – 94.6 overall grade
 

Merlin

Enjoying the ride
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
37,034
I keep seeing that chip/crackdown block in my mind, the one that prevented a sack and safety in the endzone. Soooo close to a completely different game result.

Gotta give Atlanta cred, they did a great job from gameplanning on down, on both sides of the ball, of neutralizing the Rams' strengths.