(Poll) Should Rams Trade Aaron Donald?

[kurtfaulk]

Cousins is getting compensated quite a bit, but I guarantee you that he would have preferred to have had a LTD figured out before the tag hit had him again. This whole time under the tag he has risked injury and he has his play constantly evaluated by the week as teams are looking for any reason to knock a few million of the contract he has yet to sign. I think he would be a lot more at ease if he had the deal he wanted, and are you saying he's not worth at least 20 mill in this market? Tannehill is at $19.25M and that was signed before he showed he could lead a team to the playoffs. Flacco is getting over $22M for one great playoff run. Oswiler and Glennon do nothing and get $18M and $15M a year on average respectively. Of course, Carr elevated QB contracts with his 5yr 125M deal as well. Cousins to me is a shoe-in for a $20M per year deal. If he gets a LTD at around 20M a year, that 1yr 24M tag is nothing in comparison.

i don't think so.

the first time he was tagged he hadn't proven anything. he had to earn a long contract. in the meantime he got $20m to show his stuff. that was way above the going rate for average qb play. this year he gets $24m. like tru he couldn't sign that paper fast enough. he knew a good thing as soon as he got slapped with the tag again. $44m guaranteed for 2 years, that's more than he would have got guaranteed if he had signed a long term deal before he was tagged. there's no downside for him, even if he gets injured.

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[Boston Ram]

Just to clear it up since the thread is should the Rams trade Donald....I am on the no way side but just wanted to throw options out there to see what you guys thought and if they work that's all

Can't trade Goff for what will likely be a late 1st and Decastro. That's not enough and to throw Tru in there is just giving up too many assets. I like the out of the box thinking but I feel like we are dealing too many key pieces for ultimately picks and late picks to boot.

 

[den-the-coach]

Let's hope this gets worked out can't really trade him now anyway other teams aren't going to want to deal with this either as the Rams have the right market and an owner with the 2nd deepest pockets in the NFL (Paul Allen first) so I'm thinking a 5 year extension with an opt out in the final year.

That would keep Donald a Ram for another six years as he has 2 years remaining on his current deal and would make him 32 if he opts out and I'm fine with letting a 32 year old DT test the market in 2023.

 

[Boston Ram]

Can anyone name an NFL team that has crippled themselves financially because of one players contract?

The Rams with the Tavon deal lol.

All kidding aside probably not crippled, but maybe injured for a couple of years. Denver a couple of times Dallas a few years back and Washing ton off the top of my head.

Thing is look at the Rams. I think they have been bad managing the cap. We are a losing team and can't sign the best defensive player in the game because we have little cap space and 5 key FAs next year. Our cap management has been bad, so every overpayment has an effect. So although you may not cripple your team if can effect your flexibility both short term and long term. Do you think if Tavon didn't get the extension and was playing on his last deal that AD would be signed? Don't mean to pick on Tavon here lol. But if you didn't have that cpa hit this year, I think AD would be signed. So I think every deal impacts the next.

 

[Ram65]

Can anyone name an NFL team that has crippled themselves financially because of one players contract?

The Saints.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I voted no. Even if we gave him a 7 year 140mil contract we could make it work.

Here is our 2018 and 2019 cap numbers (from Spotrac.com) and how we could make the Donald contract work:

Free future cap:
2018 - 37m
2019 74m

Money we can free up in 2018 by cuts: 23 mill
Quinn - 11m - If he doesn't return to form.
Barron - 7m
Woods - 5m

New 2018 free cap: 60m (37m + 23m f

Need to sign: (54m)
Tru or FA CB -14m
Sullivan - 8?
Sammy 12?
Donald 20

What about Ogletree, Barwin, Westbrooks, Alexander, Joyner, Dunbar & Robey-Coleman, all 2018 free agents ?

 

[12intheBox]

I wonder if the winner of that powerball ticket would trade it for 10,000 tickets in each drawing for the rest of his/her life.

 

[Legatron4]

What I don't understand is how Denver does their contracts. At one point they had Peyton Manning in a 100m dollar deal. Plus Thomas, Sanders, Harris and Talib all getting huge deals. And they just signed Von Miller too. So why can't we have Donald, Johnson and Watkins with big deals? And Goff eventually as well.

 

[Loyal]

The Rams with the Tavon deal lol.

All kidding aside probably not crippled, but maybe injured for a couple of years. Denver a couple of times Dallas a few years back and Washing ton off the top of my head.

Thing is look at the Rams. I think they have been bad managing the cap. We are a losing team and can't sign the best defensive player in the game because we have little cap space and 5 key FAs next year. Our cap management has been bad, so every overpayment has an effect. So although you may not cripple your team if can effect your flexibility both short term and long term. Do you think if Tavon didn't get the extension and was playing on his last deal that AD would be signed? Don't mean to pick on Tavon here lol. But if you didn't have that cpa hit this year, I think AD would be signed. So I think every deal impacts the next.

Buut, how many organizations have to worry about a player on a rookie contract holding the team hostage? The way I see it, the teams with the most flexibility are those with a QB on a rookie deal, because when it's time pay him, the rest of the guys know their time is limited...The Patriots have been "good" about dumping players not named Tom Brady that might have big contracts coming, and replacing them with rookies or cheap former star FA's...

 

[fearsomefour]

I'd do that right now if the Redskins GM was dumb enough.



Sapp was really good, excellent in fact. But Donald IMO is already better than Sapp and is younger.

But this is a DT thing.

The year the Bucs won the title Sapp had 40 tackles and 7.5 sacks. And he was playing on a D that was LOADED on the front 7. Sapp didn't change or take over games all that often. Not the way a superior LB or QB can.

Not as simple as stats.
How many double teams did he command?
How much scheming was designed around controlling him?
How much of other guys having great games did he contribute to?
The answer to the questions is a ton.
The value of a player usually goes up the closer he plays to the ball. The reason? Harder to control if they are dominant. Want to avoid a dominant CB. Relatively easy. Want to avoid a dominant DT, much more difficult.

 

[Boston Ram]

Buut, how many organizations have to worry about a player on a rookie contract holding the team hostage? The way I see it, the teams with the most flexibility are those with a QB on a rookie deal, because when it's time pay him, the rest of the guys know their time is limited...The Patriots have been "good" about dumping players not named Tom Brady that might have big contracts coming, and replacing them with rookies or cheap former star FA's...

I agree.

 

[fearsomefour]

Unless someone made an obscene offer, which no one will more than likely, trading Donald would be an unimaginably bad move.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I would listen to offers but I wouldn't take any draft picks for Donald. I would want players that are of a comparable skill level or add up to seeing enough.

For instance if Dallas was willing to trade Zach Martin or their center plus their best Dlinemen, I would consider.

If the Giants were willing to trade us Janoris plus a few more pieces, or Beckham then I would listen.

Hitting on a guy like Donald in the draft is rare. He plays like a hall of famer. Trading for picks is too risky and likely to not yield comparable compensation.

 

[fearsomefour]

Buut, how many organizations have to worry about a player on a rookie contract holding the team hostage? The way I see it, the teams with the most flexibility are those with a QB on a rookie deal, because when it's time pay him, the rest of the guys know their time is limited...The Patriots have been "good" about dumping players not named Tom Brady that might have big contracts coming, and replacing them with rookies or cheap former star FA's...

The trick there is this organization has a crappy track record of doing either successfully.
I know, I know. New coach etc. There is no track record there. Snead in an effort to rebuild the O line largely whiffed. In terms of Havenstein who has been solid when on the field and Brown who has been terrible, this year will determine a lot.
But too assume that picks would be hits is fantasy.
If you have the best player at a position in the NFL, you hang onto him.

 

[fearsomefour]

I predict he will be in a day or two before the last preseason game.
He's made his point that he isent happy.
Why pay money to stay out when it doesn't change his leverage?
Doesn't make sense.
In reality the Rams have him under wraps for a couple more years if they want, tag him etc.
now, there is a long history of holdouts coming in and then getting injured in games. We will see.

 

[Loyal]

The trick there is this organization has a crappy track record of doing either successfully.
I know, I know. New coach etc. There is no track record there. Snead in an effort to rebuild the O line largely whiffed. In terms of Havenstein who has been solid when on the field and Brown who has been terrible, this year will determine a lot.
But too assume that picks would be hits is fantasy.
If you have the best player at a position in the NFL, you hang onto him.

I want Donald too..I was just looking at the Patriot method, which most teams that try to do the same are not that successful.

 

[LesBaker]

Cousins in his last 20 games has blossomed into an elite QB. He is killing defenses and doesn't have the weapons he would have with the Rams. He knows this system inside out.

Goff can be really good. Cousins is already elite. I'd do that deal.

I voted no. Even if we gave him a 7 year 140mil contract we could make it work.

That's fine but his agent is never going to do a deal like that if he already turned down 6 years 120MIL.

IMO it's ludicrous to trade AD.

If you can't get him to sign what else is smart to do? Keeping him for 4 years means two cheap years and two expensive years. I'd make a move if I couldn't get him to sign a deal.

Cousins ain't in no hell. He got $20m last year and will get $24m this year. Way more than what he's worth.

Have you seen him play? He's worth every penny of that in today's NFL. Every penny.

Not as simple as stats.
How many double teams did he command?
How much scheming was designed around controlling him?
How much of other guys having great games did he contribute to?
The answer to the questions is a ton.
The value of a player usually goes up the closer he plays to the ball. The reason? Harder to control if they are dominant. Want to avoid a dominant CB. Relatively easy. Want to avoid a dominant DT, much more difficult.

Don't get me wrong, Sapp was an amazing talent. But a DT can only do so much to change a game in his teams favor. At some point there is a limit to what you allocate financially and if it's true that 6 years 120MIL got declined, and they want an opt out clause in 3 years then a responsible GM opens himself up to all of the possibilities.

 

[den-the-coach]

That's fine but his agent is never going to do a deal like that if he already turned down 6 years 120MIL.

5 year extension 100 million with an opt out in the final year and let's call it a day Les!

 

[Loyal]

Cousins in his last 20 games has blossomed into an elite QB. He is killing defenses and doesn't have the weapons he would have with the Rams. He knows this system inside out.

Goff can be really good. Cousins is already elite. I'd do that deal.



That's fine but his agent is never going to do a deal like that if he already turned down 6 years 120MIL.



If you can't get him to sign what else is smart to do? Keeping him for 4 years means two cheap years and two expensive years. I'd make a move if I couldn't get him to sign a deal.



Have you seen him play? He's worth every penny of that in today's NFL. Every penny.



Don't get me wrong, Sapp was an amazing talent. But a DT can only do so much to change a game in his teams favor. At some point there is a limit to what you allocate financially and if it's true that 6 years 120MIL got declined, and they want an opt out clause in 3 years then a responsible GM opens himself up to all of the possibilities.

love you Les, but.....

 

[OldSchool]

That's fine but his agent is never going to do a deal like that if he already turned down 6 years 120MIL.

Maybe but we really don't know how much of either offer was/would be guaranteed. That I think is likely the sticking point total guaranteed money.