(Poll) Should Rams Trade Aaron Donald?

[Ramsey]

I love Aaron Donald in horns! Wouldn't it be great if Aaron retired a life long Ram a decade from now, assured of a hall of fame yellow jacket? Wouldn't it be great if diamond studded Super Bowl Ram rings weighed down Aaron's firm hand shake? Wouldn't it be great!

Late last night, my Kool Aid scuttlebutt broke down during a Goff driven Ram TD Drive, on late night NFL channel Ram/Raider rerun. I ran out of Kool Aid and everything was OK. I didn't need the Kool Aid! Suddenly sober as a suffragette schoolmarm, I gleefully cheered Goff tossing a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp! I thought, "Johnny Hekker's days of leading the league in punt attempts are over." For sure, Hekker will boom and cannon kaboom countless punts, pinning the enemy deep inside their own terror-tory! Johnny Hekker is the best punter ever! Best ever! Best ever, and that brings me to my point- the subject of this thread. Up until now I've been circumventing the issue and avoiding pain.

Should the Rams trade the best ever DT during his prime? OUCH! It pains me to print trade Aaron Donald.

Ramdom Thoughts...
- Aaron Donald's holdout is painful and divides the fan base. I wouldn't know the effect on Ram's lockeroom.
- In my opinion, it would be easier to trade Aaron Donald under his rookie contract than after a ball busting, record setting contract extension. Easier to trade? WTF do you mean Ramsey? What does Aaron's rookie contract net him in 2017 and 2018? Something like 1.6 million and 6.5 million.

What would the Cowboys look like with Aaron Donald smack dab it the middle of the Cowboy defensive line? Super Bowl? Would the Cowboys give Zack Martin, a 1st, 2nd, and a 4th for Aaron Donald? Maybe Aaron would play for less in Texas ( no state income tax) for a chance to win twin SuperBowl Rings? Maybe so...maybe not.



What could we get for Aaron Donald? Draft Picks are iffy. I would prefer a young all pro caliber offensive lineman and draft picks. For example Titan- Taylor Lewlan and a 1st and 3 rd round draft pick. Am I asking too much? Too little? I don't know. Frankly, I haven't studied the trade value of Aaron Donald. I'm sure several ROD members have a better idea of Aaron Donald's trade value.

I have several hours reasoning out Aaron Donald's contribution to a perineal playoff team. I can totally visualize Aaron Donald transforming a run of mill playoff team into odds on Super Bowl favorites. And though I'm optimistic about 2017, Goff and McVay, I wouldn't bet my life savings on the deep Ram playoff run.

Now to nitty-gritty logic. Why would I trade Aaron Donald? First, I won't address Donald's holdout. :deadhorse: You guys already discussed Donald's holdout from every conceivable angle I can comprehend.

Protect Goff. Invest in offensive line. My football logic…

1. Ram fans crave a perennial playoff team that contends yearly for the Superbowl. Right?
2. Only proven way to achieve perennial playoff team is franchise QB. Rules favor QB’s and offense. Just the way it is…
3. Lose QB to injury the season is toast. Avoid QB injuries by investing in offensive weapons (WR’s, TE’s, RB’s) and offensive line. (Clearly, McVay has already done so and dramatically improved the Rams offense )

4. Either Goff is a franchise QB or he is not a franchise QB. Time will tell.

5. If Goff isn’t a franchise QB... then Aaron Donald won’t lead us to the playoffs year after year. AD is the best defensive football player on the planet and AD hasn’t got Rams in the playoffs yet. In my opinion, AD is a luxury that I’m proud to call a Ram, however...

6. If Goff is a franchise QB, the Rams will have to pay 12%-14% of their Salary Cap toward keeping Goff. How does that leave room for the Rams to allocate 10%-12% of Salary Cap toward AD? It's not healthy. I'd rather bet on a tried and true Super Bowl strategy...

Two players eating 25% of salary cap does not equal a perennial playoff team. Therefore Rams must consider trading Aaron Donald.

Or- Force AD to play out his rookie contract. Two years of cheap All pro play. By then we'll know if Goff is our Franchise QB. However, we won't be able to trade AD because Donald will be a FA, injured, or franchise tagged.

If Donald continues on his Hall of Fame trajectory... and Jared Goff is franchise QB we've been praying for, then Rams will have to pay Jared Goff the contract of the decade! If that happens the Rams won't franchise tag Donald because Rams won't be able to afford Donald.

Is there a better time than now to trade Aaron Donald?

 

[Ram_Rally]

If you can get high picks and/or premium players. You'd be trading the best pass rusher in the league though

 

[Dieter the Brock]

No

 

[JIMERAMS]

Donald is a great talent but DT don't win championships if they did SUH and Watt would have a couple of rings already.

 

[DrHavenstein]

Too soon.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Can't hurt to listen to offers, but I wouldn't consider anything less than two high 1'st round picks and either a quality player or a 2'nd round pick.
Still, i'd prefer to wait and see if he returns after 8 games are in the books for him to qualify for having played the season. If the Rams are in a play-off run, he'd be a talented and healthy addition for going deep into post-season play. jmo.

 

[12intheBox]

I'm sure I could think of a trade offer that I would take - but not a realistic one. No, you don't trade him.

 

[Jacobarch]

Donald is a great talent but DT don't win championships if they did SUH and Watt would have a couple of rings already.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. While AD is a great player he isn't going to win a championship alone. But he is an important component to getting there. I think our Defense takes a step back without him on the field this year. Not a huge step but a solid step.

I also doubt the Rams could even trade him. Who knows what he's asking for, it could be completely outrageous. Plus the other team has to be able to have the cap room to make that deal and a lot of teams do not.
AD will eventually find out that the Rams hold all the cards when it comes to his contract. When that is??? Who knows.

 

[LesBaker]

If you can get high picks and/or premium players. You'd be trading the best pass rusher in the league though

I think it would take something like or close to what you see below for the Rams to make a move.

Can't hurt to listen to offers, but I wouldn't consider anything less than two high 1'st round picks and either a quality player or a 2'nd round pick.

Close I bet. I can see the low bar being a 1st rounder and 2nd rounder and a player.

I hope we don't see that happen. But on the other hand is a DT worth 20MIL. And let's not forget the 20MIL was turned down. Of course the sticking point may have been the opt out we have heard about. In which case AD can forget about it that will not happen.

 

[Zodi]

 

[~lyser]

There is a sticking point somewhere in these negotiations, obviously. We don't know much, which is a tribute to both sides. However, is there really a scenario where another team is willing to give something that the Rams refuse to give AD (Suh money plus 25%? Opt-out clause?) PLUS a couple draft picks and a player? No, realistically there is not.

The Rams own AD for the next four years. That is the bottom line. He can sign what we hear is a "reasonable" offer, play out his current contract, or sit at home on his ass. Either way, he is NOT playing for another team over the next four years unless the Rams say it is OK or it is in Canada.

My guess? This is storm in a teacup shit, he will report next week one way or another.

 

[Memento]

Hell no. Donald is our best player and a potential future Hall-of-Famer if he continues his current trajectory. Again: hell no.

 

[ScotsRam]

He really needs to take a long hard look at the advice he's getting.

 

[~lyser]

He really needs to take a long hard look at the advice he's getting.

We don't really know if he is getting bad advice. We really don't know shit.

 

[DCH]

He's worth more under a new contract than the Rams will get in trade. If he's holding out for a new deal, any acquiring team knows they're acquiring an imminent contract negotiation, meaning they'll give up less. Any team that acquires him will insist on either working out an extension with his agent before finalizing the deal (in which case, why wouldn't the Rams just extend him themselves? A blueprint is in place in this scenario) or give up a low enough package of picks to mitigate the risk of him holding out for them, too.

 

[Rams43]

I'm not inclined to trade AD.

But I damned sure would listen to serious offers. If one pops up that I think better serves this roster overall, I could see pulling the trigger.

I mean, everything is negotiable, right?

But it would have to be a jaw dropping offer, I'll tell you that. Lol.

 

[OldSchool]

No we shouldn't! We won't get value for him similar to his value to the club.

 

[UKram]

We own Donald's rights for the next four years

If I'm the Rams this is what I tell Donald

"AD we love you and want you to remain apart of this team the coaches are building we have offere you a substantial contract which will set you for life ... but here's the deal

We have you here for the next four years and unless some team offers us a Ricky Willams type trade deal and more .. we are more than happy to keep you till your 30 over the next two years and two franchise tags and you can sit up and pick up your pay cheques .. we may or may not fine you ..... but this legacy you spent three years building .. the most dominant interior lineman in the game ever.. a chance at Super Bowl rings and a yellow jacket and a bust in canton ....litreally the chance to be known as the best that ever played in your position ... will be gone

So do you want a blue or black pen "

 

[Ram65]

Would the Cowboys give Zack Martin, a 1st, 2nd, and a 4th for Aaron Donald? Maybe Aaron would play for less in Texas ( no state income tax) for a chance to win twin Super Bowl Rings? Maybe so...maybe not.

Titan- Taylor Lewan and a 1st and 3 rd round draft pick. Am I asking too much?

You get what you can get.

Always liked Martin and didn't he get a new deal that isn't crazy money? Probably can't take the cap hit though.

I like getting a LT but, Whitworth is good for 2 maybe 3 years. Could play RT and give the Rams some depth.

Right now if I'm Snead I listen to any and all reasonable offers. It wouldn't be easy getting everything to fit with player and contract. I recently watch AD's highlights and he is amazing. He doesn't help not being on the field. A new big deal will take money from other places. The longer this drags out the more a trade makes sense. AD has to agree to the new deal. It's a mess.

 

[DCH]

We own Donald's rights for the next four years

If I'm the Rams this is what I tell Donald

"AD we love you and want you to remain apart of this team the coaches are building we have offere you a substantial contract which will set you for life ... but here's the deal

We have you here for the next four years and unless some team offers us a Ricky Willams type trade deal and more .. we are more than happy to keep you till your 30 over the next two years and two franchise tags and you can sit up and pick up your pay cheques .. we may or may not fine you ..... but this legacy you spent three years building .. the most dominant interior lineman in the game ever.. a chance at Super Bowl rings and a yellow jacket and a bust in canton ....litreally the chance to be known as the best that ever played in your position ... will be gone

So do you want a blue or black pen "

Beyond that, if he holds out he can be fined $30,000/day and if he holds out for more than 10 games the season doesn't count towards his NFL tenure.