IF Aaron Donald Really Wants QB Money...

[Merlin]

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.

This is true. Interior pass rushers are extremely difficult to find. And it's why I am fully behind the Rams paying AD, but the recent difference here is the way Gonzalez worded that phrase.

If push comes to shove the priority is Goff>Donald>Gurley. But I also agree there shouldn't be a problem getting all three locked down, as long as they don't get ridiculous in their demands. Paying a DT among QB leaders is just asinine IMO, and I hope the Rams are smarter than that, and also that IF Donald's representation is hard set on doing that I hope the Rams have the cajones to make the hard call.

My point is I'd rather see them move on with trade return now than get into a holdout-ridden deal where they try to extend him next year under a tag and things go south. Because at that point he's going to have a lot less value in trade.

 

[Loyal]

Pay that man his money!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhI88tg1Gqg

 

[Ken]

He's worth more than lower tier QBs get paid and not as much as top tier QBs get paid. I'd try to resign him for something like 7 years 150 , 80 guaranteed over the 1st 4 seasons and front load as much as possible over the 1st 2 seasons.

 

[Loyal]

He's worth more than lower tier QBs get paid and not as much as top tier QBs get paid. I'd try to resign him for something like 7 years 150 , 80 guaranteed over the 1st 4 seasons and front load as much as possible over the 1st 2 seasons.

I like the long term nature of the contract. Aaron Donald has never given off the aura of anything but a VERY durable player. I'm talking Merlin Olsen durable, so the length of it will make him affordable over time (if goes for that!)

 

[Ram65]

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/ndamukong-suh-6511/

 

[dieterbrock]

When the Rams win the SB with Donald making 25 mill+, the next time a team questions how much to pay their defensive star, they will point to the Rams and say "They paid Donald that much and it didn't stop them"

 

[jrry32]

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

You got me there. Have a nice day.

 

[Ram65]

Interesting how Suh's contract is mentioned with Donald's pending contract. Suh didn't get the entire length of the contract but, got the bulk of the money. The contract language will be interesting and vital to negotiations I'm sure. Donald is going to want lots of upfront and guaranteed money. If his side pushes too far Rams may have to F Tag him or trade him.

How much is too much money?

 

[FrantikRam]

When the Rams win the SB with Donald making 25 mill+, the next time a team questions how much to pay their defensive star, they will point to the Rams and say "They paid Donald that much and it didn't stop them"

That would be something..

Because I'm not sure that any team has ever won a super bowl with ANY player making even $20 million per year - close, with some of the QBs, but not quite $20 million (I don't think).

 

[Zodi]

You don't pay a defensive tackle QB money. But Donald isn't an average defensive tackle. When it's all said and done, he might be the greatest to ever play the position. You have to keep players like that.

 

[dieterbrock]

That would be something..

Because I'm not sure that any team has ever won a super bowl with ANY player making even $20 million per year - close, with some of the QBs, but not quite $20 million (I don't think).

Salary cap keeps going up, salaries keep going up. Fletcher Cox of the Eagles makes about 17 mill, but was signed 3 years ago. Peyton Manning *just under* 20 mill on his Denver contract (78 mill over 4 years)

 

[Akrasian]

I think the Rams would gladly pay Donald the money Mannion's making. Get 'er done, Les!

 

[kurtfaulk]

Suh didn't get the entire length of the contract but, got the bulk of the money.

?

he got $60m for 3 years, $20m per year. not far off the average yearly salary of his contract which was $19m per year.

.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Aaron Donald makes the entire defense better. When he doesn't get the sack himself, he creates sacks for other players. He flushes the QB into the path of others to be sacked, which helps others and all Dlinemen. His pressure forces QBs to throw out of rythm. It forces them to make rushed decisions, which helps the secondary and Lbers. He affects everything on defense just like a QB does on offense. Without him the Rams pass rush is complete shit. The defense would be bottom 20 or worse.

 

[XXXIVwin]

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 agree that Gonzalez was exaggerating a bit here. Highest yearly average for a lineman was Suh at 19M per, and he was cut. AD’s agents surely know that if they are seeking 26M per, well, they’ll keep waiting.

The way I see it, Rams FO can just sit tight for a while. They could offer AD six years at 120M, and rightly say they are offering to make him the highest paid D player in the NFL. If AD accepts that, great. If not, Rams just let it drag out.

AD has very little leverage, and Rams FO won’t overpay him because they simply have no incentive to do so. Rams can keep AD for the next 3 years for less than 40M, and unfortunately AD has no way to get out of that.

So I don’t see the Rams trading AD because they already have a deal in place that is ridiculously favorable to the team. As long as the Rams make a somewhat reasonable offer, AD has no choice but to accept it, or wait 3 years for the monster bucks.

 

[Mackeyser]

I dunno when the TV contract is up, but at some point this hit to traditional ad revenues are gonna mean either a stop in the growth of tv contracts or even some shrinkage.

Which means the cap will flatten or decrease.

If AD waits 3 years, he may find that the craziness of FA becomes muted.

He could be the Sam Bradford (contract wise) by signing big and long term now OR...he might play out the Tags and find he can't get more than $18M max and with less guaranteed because he's older.

I think agents who are doing short term contracts or are planning on FA for monster dollars a few years from now are harming their clients

 

[dieterbrock]

Aaron Donald makes the entire defense better. When he doesn't get the sack himself, he creates sacks for other players. He flushes the QB into the path of others to be sacked, which helps others and all Dlinemen. His pressure forces QBs to throw out of rythm. It forces them to make rushed decisions, which helps the secondary and Lbers. He affects everything on defense just like a QB does on offense. Without him the Rams pass rush is complete crap. The defense would be bottom 20 or worse.

Boom!
I’ll take my chances on Donald and a Jag vs 2 good players

 

[Merlin]

The way I see it, Rams FO can just sit tight for a while. They could offer AD six years at 120M, and rightly say they are offering to make him the highest paid D player in the NFL. If AD accepts that, great. If not, Rams just let it drag out.

AD has very little leverage, and Rams FO won’t overpay him because they simply have no incentive to do so. Rams can keep AD for the next 3 years for less than 40M, and unfortunately AD has no way to get out of that.

While this is true, my own expectations for this franchise is for them to finish their transition into elite status. And while there's no set of rules that define what an elite franchise is, for myself it's a franchise that wins AND takes care of its best players, while making the hard calls on the JAGs and building the roster around great players.

I always detested the Rams' decision making under Shaw, when Georgia owned the team. We were second or third rate from the top down, and that always stood in the way of sustained success even when they momentarily got things right. That's not the team I want to root for, personally. This is why I hope they start to demonstrate they are an elite team and an important indicator is going to be showing they can lock up the elite guys and build it right.

Now with Donald in particular, if he gets ridiculous in his demands, then maybe some hardball is in order. But this is what I wanted to discuss here, since obviously all Rams fans want Donald back. It's just that maybe we are looking at that possibility where the player literally prices himself out, and if so what do you do if you're an elite franchise?

Options are overpaying him, trading him, or playing hardball.

 

[blackbart]

Is a HOF talented DT required to win a Superbowl?
How would using 20% of your salary cap on a player who isn't the QB affect the contracts of the rest of the team?
I would disagree that finding a talent like Gurley is easier, he has helped re-establish the RB position.

Tough decision and not knowing the details of the talks doesn't help but I have to say there is no one on this roster who is completely untouchable except McVay