Snead on negotiations with Aaron Donald: 'No movement'

[Riverumbbq]

I never predicted anything. I said AD is worth $100 million. You may have inferred that as me predicting the future, but minus an agenda, you could've extrapolated that I was referring to his current and past production.

You want AD gone and I want him resigned. Case closed.

No, I want him in camp now while his agent works on a new deal, hopefully beneficial for both parties long term. In the event Donald chooses to remain unavailable beyond the Chargers pre-season game (#3), I would rather the Rams prepare to either sit on his contract as is or listen to respectful trade offers over what he might bring as if he was franchise tagged. jmo.

 

[Barrison]

Players hold out for new contracts all of the time. Your fear is based on a BS rumor-- one that you even referenced in your previous post. I haven't been able to find anything solid regarding Donald wanting an opt-out clause after year 3, so fear that he would hold out again in the future is conj... eh nevermind.

Look man, believe what you will I do believe we have submitted a hefty offer and Donald wouldn't sign because of this opt-out clause. If we did put a generous offer on the table and Donald didn't want to sign there has to be some type of hurdle prohibiting him from signing such as a 3 year opt out clause but I'm done talking to a brick wall. Good day sir.

 

[bubbaramfan]

I don't get some folks take. Just because Watt, Suh and Cousins got signed to a stupid contract, the Rams should sign AD to one too?

 

[Angry Ram]

I don't get some folks take. Just because Watt, Suh and Cousins got signed to a stupid contract, the Rams should sign AD to one too?

Yup. You wanna keep your stars? You pay them.

Aaron Donald is just as good as JJ Watt, and better than Ndamukong Suh.

I don't think Kirk Cousins signed a deal?

 

[Riverumbbq]

Apparently Aaron Donald was not impressed with the LA Rams’ initial offer
by Brandon Bate@NoPlanB_ Aug 15, 2017, 6:35pm CDT

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports


In case you haven’t noticed, the Los Angeles Rams have been without their best player - on either side of the football - for the majority of the offseason.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who’s entering his fourth year in the NFL, is looking to get paid. And rightfully so. He’s now known for being one of, if not the, best interior defensive lineman in the entire league. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. He lives in the opposition’s backfield. Yeah, he’s good.

The Rams, who’ve been known to make a few questionable (to put it very nicely) contractual moves over the past few years, have yet to successfully lock him up.

But it’s not for lack of trying.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter joined the Mike and Mike Show on Tuesday morning to discuss the matter. From his understanding the Rams have made “a very strong offer.” Apparently it just wasn’t strong enough:

Aaron Donald, when he gets a new deal, is going to make 60...65...70 million dollars in guaranteed money. Why would Aaron Donald go in, right now, to go play for $1.8 - $2M? Why would he do that? Ever? The Rams made, what I understand to be, a very strong offer right before camp; but I don’t think they’re going to budge as long as he’s out of camp. And he’s out of camp. And they’re not going to budge, so we’ve got a standoff...a standstill...whatever you want to call it, that I think threatens to go on for a while here. We may not see Aaron Donald for a while.

“A while” is certainly a subjective term. Objectively, it doesn’t matter. The Rams are without their best player, and the regular season kicks off in less that one month.

Schefter goes on to note that Donald is foregoing $40k a day by not participating in team activities. To you and I that may sound like a lot — but as the No. 1 Insider in the biz stated, he may soon have 60-70 million reasons to forget about those paltry fines.

It remains to be seen when the Rams get this deal done, but it would go a long way to ease the mind’s of a fan base - who will never forget how the Rams made Tavon Austin the third highest paid wide receiver in the NFL in 2017 - if they got it done sooner than later.

Stay tuned.

 

[OC_Ram]

He's referring to this rumor that Donald turned down the most recent contract offer because he wants an opt-out clause after year 3. I've tried tracing it down and all I've come up with is some dude saying "Well, I heard..." Definition of conjecture.

he should NEVER be offered this. If we wanted a 3 year deal we'd hold him to his current contract for 2 and franchise for one. This dude is crazy asking for 3 yr opt out.. kinda defeats the purpose of contract extension.

 

[SteezyEndo]

Well they need to put something in writing to keep the players honest so this doesn't become a trend. Players shouldn't be worrying about loopholes they should be playing on the field. All that other background noise is up to the agent.

 

[HitStick]

What would be adequate compensation, in your opinion?

Minimum:
Two 1sts
Two 2nds
One 3rd
And a player

Yeah, but his replacement may want something a bit higher than $0 next season.

If you draft his replacement it won't be all that bad

 

[Loyal]

Billionaire Kroenke will be footing the record near $70.mil in bonus money in cash to kick start any deal, that's all that means. His annual salary will be budgeted thru the CAP.

*shrugs
He said what he said with no caveats, so...

 

[Picked4td]

There was some confusion here on ROD, not by legal people in the NFL, about whether or not you can exercise a 5th year option on a 4th year player (at that point). Plus we've already exercised that option, but if he's a 3rd year player at the end of this year, wouldn't the Rams have the option exercise it again just like they did the first time after his original 3rd year? It becomes a confusing mess now as to what is and isn't allowed, what still counts, what gets wiped out because he lost this year, etc.

Not sure if I understand what you are asking, but it seems like you're asking if he sits out enough this season for it not to count toward restricted/unrestricted FA can the rams add another 5th year option onto his contract? Assuming thats what you are asking, the answer is no. If a player sits out it still counts as a year on his contract, it just doesnt count on a year toward becoming a unrestricted FA (need to play 4+ years to become a unrestricted FA). If they could just slap on another year to his contract, it would be entirely pointless for him (or any player) to miss a season then.

 

[96GS#007]

Sorry, I've lost patience with this. Let him sit. Eventually a team will pony up some significant draft choices and/or players or he'll show up. If it takes 2 years, so be it and at that point no team will pay him $70M. He'll have cost himself a lot of money.

I think someone mentioned that teammates stated this was really hard on him, essentially blaming his agent. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the agent works for AD. Therefore it's his choice/his doing to follow a stupid negotiating strategy.

If everyone is convinced he's worth $xxM, then they should buy an injury insurance policy. If he gets hurt, he still gets paid for past performance.

 

[12intheBox]

If he were a QB or a WR or even an O lineman, I'd be more worried. As a DT - he will be able to jump right in and be up to speed once he shows.

It's not greed, it's not apathy, it's not foolishness, it's business. Hundred million dollar deals take time.

 

[NERamsFan]

We got a problem. SW is going to need to be extended, Ogletree too. Tavon and Tru are paid too much and AD isn't being paid at all.

Agreed. I hope we can keep our vital pieces, new and old, intact. That includes other secondary pieces too. I'm more than fine with Austin and Tru gone. Overpaid and underperforming, inconsistent players who are easily replaceable in the draft. Shoot, I wouldn't be surprised if we selected a high corner next year and a gadget player with one of our two 3rd rounders (comp for Tru).

Offer Sammy and Alec fair deals and pray AD is signed by then. He is really hurting this whole situation.

 

[dieterbrock]

Without Warren Sapp, the Bucs wouldnt have been a playoff team much less a SB winner.

 

[SteezyEndo]

I agree there needs to be a lot of altering going on. And it needs to benefit both ends. It seems that its unorganized and its apparent there isn't a common ground when it comes to contracts. There needs to be a set of ground rules, and it needs to be addressed prior. You need to fullfil ABC first, before you get to D. Fail to do so is a breach of contract. Period

 

[Ramstien]

I wish they could find another team to take him, Tru, and Austin. I really believe the Rams would be fine without them.

 

[Loyal]

This thread amazes me. Trading tru and Tavon doesn't bother me at all, but most seem ready to dump a Hall o Fame player like Aaron Donald, because he will cost a lot to resign. So what do we take from this? Often such players are drafted high in the first round, which only the worst teams (normally, barring a trade up) get. So if they live up to the freak status pre-draft hype, we can only keep them for one contract because they are worth big money?
1. Dump all legitimate football, HOfer worthy players, unless they are a QB's
2. Why draft them at all, because they play on teams that are rebuilding, except for trade purposes I guess..?
3. Draft mediocre good players because you can sign them to mediocre contracts?

HELL NO YOU DON'T DUMP AARON FREAKIN' DONALD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RedRam]

I

Not sure if I understand what you are asking, but it seems like you're asking if he sits out enough this season for it not to count toward restricted/unrestricted FA can the rams add another 5th year option onto his contract? Assuming thats what you are asking, the answer is no. If a player sits out it still counts as a year on his contract, it just doesnt count on a year toward becoming a unrestricted FA (need to play 4+ years to become a unrestricted FA). If they could just slap on another year to his contract, it would be entirely pointless for him (or any player) to miss a season then.

I'm assuming there are provisions in NFL contracts for tolling of a contract. I don't know what those are, obviously, but it might be an option should Donald's holdout trigger the necessary provision for the Rams to toll his contract.


To date, the Rams haven't won with Donald, whether or not he's Superman. Now I'm not advocating getting rid of him, not yet anyway, but his presence alone hasn't changed the Rams fortunes. Is that something that you factor into his "value" to the team? If the Rams go all in on Donald, who cannot help this team win on his own, will the Rams be better for it? Or, would it be better for the team to move Donald to make room for more quantity of quality players albeit not of Donald's singular, otherworldly, quality? It's a very tough call for a team that wants a solid balance between both ends of that spectrum.