Aaron Donald’s contract situation

[ReekofRams]

Right now I think it's a cat and Mouse game between Mack and Donald, with Donald being the cat.

Raiders have already made a contract offer to KM, which he has already turned down. Now KM knows he wasn't defensive player of the year, but he still trying to get as much as he can out of the Raiders

While AD and his agent are playing the waiting game to see how much KM gets, along with the guaranteed money, then that is when the true negotiations between the Rams and AD begins. Heck this might have been the strategy the Rams proposed to AD last year to get him to come in when he did.

Whatever the reasons are, Snead and McVay have made it clear that they are working under AD's and his agent's timetable, which is most likely centered around KM contract situation. So the waiting is upon AD and his agent, not the Rams.

As always, this is my opinion only.

 

[nanotech]

 

[SeminoleRam]

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?

 

[Ramhusker]

He was a 1st round pick so they have the 5th year option and two years of tags. If it gets to that stage, he'll end up holding out again and then GONE. So, let's hope it doesn't go down that road.

 

[Ramrasta]

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.

 

[SeminoleRam]

Ramhusker and Ramrasta - Thanks for the clarification! I certainly hope the Rams and Aaron Donald can come to terms soon!

 

[OldSchool]

He was a 1st round pick so they have the 5th year option and two years of tags. If it gets to that stage, he'll end up holding out again and then GONE. So, let's hope it doesn't go down that road.

He's playing this year on the 5th year option.

 

[dieterbrock]

If he reaches franchise tag time, it will be signaling the end of his Rams career.
Like @Ramrasta said, we need him under contract to have the tag available for other players

 

[DaveFan'51]

IF the Rams don't get Donald signed real soon it will be there biggest Blunder in my life-time! " And we all know that's a loooong time!!"

 

[Merlin]

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.

Pretty much, agree 100% and have been saying and saying that. Coaching has proven itself last season. Snead just proved himself this offseason. Demoff is up to bat. Get the dude effin signed. Then get some more dudes effin signed.

I am damn tired of seeing talent leave in FA. That is not going to be an option with Donald so get it done ffs.

 

[Prime Time]

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/5/8/17328818/fifth-year-options-2015-nfl-draft-self-evaluation

How NFL Teams Evaluated Their Own 2015 Draft
Seeing which players were given fifth-year options and which weren’t is a pretty good clue as to how teams look at their own draft performance
By Danny Heifetz

Actions speak louder than words in the NFL. While teams are going to spend the rest of the offseason saying they love the players they selected in the 2018 draft, the same front offices just showed us how they truly feel about their players from the 2015 draft.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, rookies drafted in the first round sign (mostly) guaranteed four-year contracts. After three seasons, their team has the right to add a fifth year for a cost-controlled raise. The exact dollar figures for the fifth-year option are determined by the rookie-wage scale.

Players drafted in the top 10 receive the average salary of the 10 highest-paid players at their position, while players drafted from the 11th to 32nd pick receive the average salary of the third- to the 25th-highest paid players at their position.

The deadline for teams to decide on the options from the 2015 draft was last week, and by looking at which teams exercised fifth-year options on their former first-rounders, we get something better than draft grades—self-evaluations.

First, an example of a fifth-year option might be helpful. Here’s a breakdown of the four-year, $10.14 million deal Aaron Donald signed after being drafted 13th overall in 2014.

Signing Bonus: $5.69 million
2014 Salary: $420,000
2015 Salary: $880,750
2016 Salary: $1.34 million
2017 Salary: $1.8 million
2018 Salary (fifth-year team option): $6.89 million

Last year, the Rams exercised Donald’s fifth-year option for the 2018 season. The option is worth more than triple his 2017 salary, but he’s still earning far below his worth as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The fifth-year option is a way for teams to squeeze an extra year of productivity out of young players.

If first-rounders perform anywhere close to what teams expected on draft day, it usually makes sense for teams to pick up that extra year.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Franchise tagging him won't be a good option. You don't think some team will cough up two late first round picks to sign him to a deal? Think again.

 

[Ken]

Franchise tagging him won't be a good option. You don't think some team will cough up two late first round picks to sign him to a deal? Think again.

That's what I thought but some here on ROD said that if you 'exclusive' tag him that no other teams could sign him. I stated he's one of the rare players that could be lost if they tried to tag him.

 

[LesBaker]

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.

Ultra elite NFL players are going to want to go to free agency regardless of what the team that drafted them offers. Now they may resign with the team that drafted them after showing them offers and having them match, but in many cases it's off to the highest bidder they go. It's not a function of the front office failing to do the job it's a function of a poorly thought out and badly crafted CBA and rookie cap. Until that is tweaked it's going to be difficult to keep elite players like Donald.

If you are considered a top 10 type of player, maybe even top 15-20, you will cash in BIG TIME by becoming a free agent. There is no responsible players agent that would advise a client to do anything other than get to free agency unless a player said that they wanted to stay in a market with the team they are with for whatever reason.

The NFL needs to look at the NBA, I've said it many times. That is always a great place to glean cap management and player exceptions and until the NFL does some of that the turnover among the elite is always going to be there.

 

[OldSchool]

Lol just like clockwork. About once a month we get a topic where people can express their anxiety about Aaron Donald. Just throw out what Snead and the rest of the Rams have said about the plan and let panic set in

 

[drasconis]

That's what I thought but some here on ROD said that if you 'exclusive' tag him that no other teams could sign him. I stated he's one of the rare players that could be lost if they tried to tag him.

There are two possible tags, and only one can be used each year by each team, exclusive and non-exclusive. Non-exclusive is slightly cheaper, but allows other teams to possibly sign the player away (the current team gets to match offer or take the picks). Exclusive is slightly higher, but they are locked to that team. Note that once a player is designated the tag is used, if the team rescinds (they can if the player does not sign it -some players hold out signing) or if a new contract is signed the tag is still used.

The numbers for DT in 2017 were:
Transition (Non-exclusive)= $11mil
Franchise (Exclusive)=$13.5mil

 

[dieterbrock]

Lol just like clockwork. About once a month we get a topic where people can express their anxiety about Aaron Donald. Just throw out what Snead and the rest of the Rams have said about the plan and let panic set in

In all fairness, Snead and Co said the same things Last year too.
And in January....
So as much faith as we can have, he still isn't signed.

 

[OldSchool]

In all fairness, Snead and Co said the same things Last year too.
And in January....
So as much faith as we can have, he still isn't signed.

Last year they said it was important and they were talking. McVay said he had little communication with him. This year they said they have an agreed upon timeline and will get it done. Not the same at all imo.

 

[dieterbrock]

Last year they said it was important and they were talking. McVay said he had little communication with him. This year they said they have an agreed upon timeline and will get it done. Not the same at all imo.

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

 

[Ramrasta]

Ultra elite NFL players are going to want to go to free agency regardless of what the team that drafted them offers. Now they may resign with the team that drafted them after showing them offers and having them match, but in many cases it's off to the highest bidder they go. It's not a function of the front office failing to do the job it's a function of a poorly thought out and badly crafted CBA and rookie cap. Until that is tweaked it's going to be difficult to keep elite players like Donald.

If you are considered a top 10 type of player, maybe even top 15-20, you will cash in BIG TIME by becoming a free agent. There is no responsible players agent that would advise a client to do anything other than get to free agency unless a player said that they wanted to stay in a market with the team they are with for whatever reason.

The NFL needs to look at the NBA, I've said it many times. That is always a great place to glean cap management and player exceptions and until the NFL does some of that the turnover among the elite is always going to be there.

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.