(Poll) Should Rams Trade Aaron Donald?

[TexasRam]

Here is an example of how I could see something like this working:


Tennessee has 33m in cap space.

If they gave me Taylor Lewan 26 years old (who had a pro bowl year) and two firsts i could consider the discussion.

 

[Snaz]

Trading Aaron Donald is asinine.

 

[SteezyEndo]

Trading Aaron Donald is asinine.

Holding out for a long period of time being unproductive would be grounds for a trade obviously, but that is up to Donald to decide. If he comes back before the season opener then awesome.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Holding out for a long period of time being unproductive would be grounds for a trade obviously, but that is up to Donald to decide. If he comes back before the season opener then awesome.

He needs to be back in time to be PREPARED for the season opener.

 

[DaveFan'51]

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.

These are all absolute Facts! Sapp was good, Donald is GREAT!!

 

[…..]

Whatever is going on, its time we gave props to both sides for keeping it in check and not letting anything play out in the media.

I think in past situations involving other players/teams there have been leaks to the media which started some ill will between the sides and ultimately ended up souring the relationship. See Kirk Cousins for a relationship with team turning sour. I'm glad we dont have that problem and are reduced to our own independent opinions- most of which are probably wrong lol

The Rams front office staff doing an admirable job keeping things stealth in several situations and are developing a good reputation across the league.

 

[Akrasian]

Trading Aaron Donald is asinine.

Is it? Why?

I can see reasons why it would not be wise by the Rams - he is a genuinely great player, a true difference maker.

Against that, we have a new HC trying to establish a change in culture, team over the individual - and the first thing AD does is hold out even though he is under contract for two years still. None of us have the exact details, but the rumors are that he has been offered a ginormous contract, and is holding out for more money AND an opt out (i.e. - if he is worth the ginormous contract, he gets to leave to go elsewhere - if he isn't worth it, the Rams will have given him a ton of guaranteed money). If this is the case, then keeping AD means that the Rams will lose multiple other good players.

What if the Rams get offered enough in trade that they feel it is worth it, especially if AD turns out to only want to sign if his contract is so large that it will make it difficult to build a good team everywhere else?

The Rams likely won't get offered enough to make it worthwhile to trade him - but if he insists on being paid a cap busting amount, and will hold out each season much of the year, so that he reports just in time to be absent or ineffective most of the time - it may make sense to trade him. Especially so other players don't figure they can hold out for more money too, despite being under contract.

Remember the Patriots - I hate them, but they build their team with depth everywhere on the field to keep them always competitive. Excepting Brady, expensive players end up going elsewhere as free agents or in a trade.

 

[SteezyEndo]

I feel like this is becoming a Wall Street Stock Market type scenario. Do we HOLD or Do we TRADE?....

 

[OldSchool]

Here is an example of how I could see something like this working:


Tennessee has 33m in cap space.

If they gave me Taylor Lewan 26 years old (who had a pro bowl year) and two firsts i could consider the discussion.

Which they would never do as they need Lewan and they aren't likely to give up those picks they seem more likely to trade down and add picks.

 

[OnceARam]

Which raises the question, who exactly is in the market for Donald?

There is NO market for AD outside of the Rams. We have leverage.

 

[MadGoat]

There is NO market for AD outside of the Rams. We have leverage.

I think he's asking what is the market for the Rams selling AD.

 

[96GS#007]

Pretty much boils down to this....
- Is one "All Universe DT" on the team better than having 2 or perhaps 3 "merely" Pro-Bowl caliber players plus 1 or 2 depth players? Personally I'd take the latter.

Having said the above, I don't see a trade like that materializing. Therefore....Let his a$$ sit for 3 years.

 

[nanotech]

Trade who? Is he playing for the Rams?

 

[jrry32]

I'm not giving up on Goff either, I want him to work out and be fantastic. But if the Redskins call and I'm the GM I pick up the phone and try to work out a deal.

I don't. I see what Goff has to offer this year. Cousins is a FA after the season.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Which they would never do as they need Lewan and they aren't likely to give up those picks they seem more likely to trade down and add picks.

Agreed, but i think Texas was using them (Tennessee) as purely an example in terms of value in return as a starting point. I happen to agree with him.
I wouldn't even have trade conversations unless a team opened the discussion with at least a young Pro Bowler and a couple 1st round picks. In the end i'd want all that plus a 2nd, maybe a 4th, a second young player prospect and a case of Romulan Ale.

 

[TexasRam]

Which they would never do as they need Lewan and they aren't likely to give up those picks they seem more likely to trade down and add picks.

Right, it shows how difficult such
a trade would be. Young pro bowlers teams like to build their team around.

But teams may see some tackle depth on their team and like the chances of hugely upgrading their defense while filling the void on offense with someone in house.

I voted no to trading Donald. But it takes two sides. If Donald's agent wants to set the price higher than the Rams will go then it may be a standoff in which case we have to consider the alternatives. I was giving an example of how such an alternative could go down.

People say the Rams have all the leverage because Donald sitting doesn't free him up for 4 years. But a valid counterpoint is that also hurts the Rams so they are forced to do something. Would you rather have an all world player not play for the next 4 years or trade him for a pro bowl tackle to replace your aging pro bowl tackle and aquire some high draft picks as well.

 

[FarNorth]

Right, it shows how difficult such
a trade would be. Young pro bowlers teams like to build their team around.

But teams may see some tackle depth on their team and like the chances of hugely upgrading their defense while filling the void on offense with someone in house.

I voted no to trading Donald. But it takes two sides. If Donald's agent wants to set the price higher than the Rams will go then it may be a standoff in which case we have to consider the alternatives. I was giving an example of how such an alternative could go down.

People say the Rams have all the leverage because Donald sitting doesn't free him up for 4 years. But a valid counterpoint is that also hurts the Rams so they are forced to do something. Would you rather have an all world player not play for the next 4 years or trade him for a pro bowl tackle to replace your aging pro bowl tackle and aquire some high draft picks as well.

I don't quite see this or how Donald has leverage. What team, exactly, is going to pay Donald more than the Rams and give up a king's ransom in other players and draft picks to do so? The Rams control Donald's contract for what, 2 years plus a franchise tag or two (I may have the numbers wrong)? Does Donald want to be wealthy for the rest of his life and become a HOFer with the Rams, on a talented and well coached young team, or does he want to sit out for possibly years? Plus, this is the CBA which the players wanted, not some obstinacy by the Rams. The answer is that there is a deal which can be done, and the Rams need to get it done, but they also need Donald and his agent to accept what will be a very lucrative reality. I expect Donald will do this before the season starts or shortly after and show up to play.

 

[99Balloons]

It's more of what Donald's agent telling him to hold out and fleece the Rams or another team if Donald is traded with the opt-out clause.
The situation is similar to the Orlando Pace hold out when his agents, the Poston brothers strong armed the Rams years ago.

 

[Rabid Ram]

Where's the fuck off outta here vote

 

[Rams43]

The AD opt out demand, if true, makes him untradeable, no?

So, that's gotta come off the table before there's any hope of an extension OR trade.

It's simply a deal breaker. The sooner that AD and his agent grasps that, the sooner that this can all be resolved.

Hope we can extend AD. I really do. But if not, I can certainly live with a blockbuster trade. Wouldn't be Snead's first, would it?

If AD proves untradeable, then I could live with sitting on him indefinitely. That might sound crazy to some, but there are larger issues at stake here. Issues that will profoundly affect the Rams and the league long term.

AD has unwittingly bitten off more than he can chew if he's dug in on this opt out demand.