The official Aaron Donald holdout thread - #Questfor100

[Mister Sin]

True. But teams have to protect their interests. If there wasn't a salary cap I'm sure they'd sign him by now. They have to consider what is best for the whole team. If his demands meant they can't bring back other key players, then you have to look at how many players will you lose. Is he good enough to offset the loss of Ogletree and Tru Johnson? You need Watkins to be part of this too. There are others. Both sides have a lot to consider.

This! We have to live in the cap.

 

[Mister Sin]

I have zero issue with paying him, I want to pay him, he has earned it. But I have no use for players that want "most money ever" money.

Stafford getting biggest contract ever is beyond ridiculous. He's good, he isn't that damn good. And it cripples teams.

 

[bluecoconuts]

View: https://twitter.com/jackdfenton/status/903977884137787392

Fuck you, Florio, you just have to get your shot in, don't you? Good for Donald? No, fuck you. I trust Benjamin Allbright over you, at least he has a record of being right.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I don't think that's about AD. Just another player trying to show everyone else how they inspire themselves with someone else's words.
Yawn.

I think only mods can see the photo, because I sure as shit can't.

 

[majrleaged]

If Donald has decided he is going to buck the system, then fuck him. I don't have a problem with get what you can and holding out to get it, but now he is letting himself be a pawn for the agent and/or PA. This is what was negotiated and if they want to change it, they will have to wait till the labor agreement ends. He ain't helping no one. He is harming his team. He needs to realize he is being manipulated.

 

[bluecoconuts]

We not me. Every game he misses the less and less I'll miss him, even if we struggle.

The Rams are trying to do right by Donald, they've been saying that for a long time. Unless they're lying about their offers, which I doubt because if they were I'm sure his slimeball agent would have corrected that, then they're trying to do right. In that sense a lot of it is on Donald because he's not saying "That money is enough, get this shit done." he's allowing his agent to manipulate him in order to secure better deals for his other clients, which then helps him out even more, or he believes the same thing his agent is doing, and is okay with it. I don't think either reflect very good on Donald, I'm pretty disappointed.

At this point I'm getting close to wanting the Rams to do what the Texans are doing. Negotiations stop once the season starts. He wants to play? Then fucking play, don't tell me you want to be there, if you wanted to be there, you'd be there.

You want a two year out clause? Fine, but if you use it you have to repay everything back to the Rams that you've earned. You don't get to fleece us for a big paycheck and then bounce to a contender as soon as you want. You don't get to abandon us as soon as it benefits you, what sort of message does that send? What sort of precedent is that going to set? That type of clause is how you get the same few teams winning and the rest of the teams struggling, because those struggling teams get a blue chip player, develop him, pay him a bunch of money, and then watch him run off to another team to accept a sweetheart deal and win championships, while the team that developed you falls back down. That's bullshit, and if Donald is trying to get his escape to do that then he can sit for the entire year and fucking retire, because either result ends without a ring, at least if he does this one he doesn't destroy our cap and chase away the rest of our talent.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

Imagine Donald decides to sit out a few games and Ethan Westbrooks comes out and just goes nuts against the Colts.

 

[Merlin]

We not me. Every game he misses the less and less I'll miss him, even if we struggle.

I'm with you on this.

Even though we don't know what the specifics are, it just seems to me that the Rams are willing to pay him, but I am not sure whether Donald's camp is willing to meet them halfway on some things. Suspicion is his team's drawn a hard line, because this is not the situation the team wants to have in year one of a new head coach with a We Not Me slogan, where the team's best player is holding out.

Would the Rams' brass fly to meet Donald's reps if they weren't willing to meet him halfway on this? Would they patently avoid allowing the tone of this to become acrimonious? I know the team isn't perfect and all that, but in the end I am not a fan of the players first, I am a fan of the team and organization and all who are part of it. When players move on to other teams I could care less about them. Did that with others like Dickerson, Greene, etc., and if push comes to shove I'll do the same with AD.

In all of this is the obvious element that the Rams hold all the cards. So if AD does elect to hold out I am hoping the Rams start the season strong and play well and win a bunch of games, which should help to put this entire thing in perspective. As great as he is, Aaron Donald is a DT. People don't want to hear that but it's the truth and you can eliminate a DT through scheme far easier than you can a QB. Paying him too much is a risk for this organization IMO.

 

[TSFH Fan]

View: https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/904088277912653824

 

[nighttrain]

Demoff still in Pitt? Everything A-OK
train

 

[JackDRams]

Demoff still in Pitt? Everything A-OK
train

Where did you hear that? I heard they went to Atlanta. But nothing about Pitt.

 

[nighttrain]

Where did you hear that? I heard they went to Atlanta. But nothing about Pitt.

my bad

 

[Loyal]

"I need a serious @ss kicking, someone help me!
~Aaron Donald

 

[JoeBo21]

CAN WE JUST FUCKING GET THIS DONE ALREADY???? FUCK

alright, I'm good. proceed.

 

[thirteen28]

I'm with you on this.

Even though we don't know what the specifics are, it just seems to me that the Rams are willing to pay him, but I am not sure whether Donald's camp is willing to meet them halfway on some things. Suspicion is his team's drawn a hard line, because this is not the situation the team wants to have in year one of a new head coach with a We Not Me slogan, where the team's best player is holding out.

Would the Rams' brass fly to meet Donald's reps if they weren't willing to meet him halfway on this? Would they patently avoid allowing the tone of this to become acrimonious? I know the team isn't perfect and all that, but in the end I am not a fan of the players first, I am a fan of the team and organization and all who are part of it. When players move on to other teams I could care less about them. Did that with others like Dickerson, Greene, etc., and if push comes to shove I'll do the same with AD.

In all of this is the obvious element that the Rams hold all the cards. So if AD does elect to hold out I am hoping the Rams start the season strong and play well and win a bunch of games, which should help to put this entire thing in perspective. As great as he is, Aaron Donald is a DT. People don't want to hear that but it's the truth and you can eliminate a DT through scheme far easier than you can a QB. Paying him too much is a risk for this organization IMO.

A-mother something-men.

 

[JIMERAMS]

Do you hate it when teams cut players with time remaining on their contracts too?

For every AD overplaying his contract there is 100 Tavons getting payed to much what about those contracts? You can't have it both ways

 

[OldSchool]

Donald is probably gonna get around 60 million gauranteed. I'm not sure insurance policies cover that. Maybe though

And if he gets hurt half way through his extension and can't play the team still owes him money is that him earning his money?

 

[jrry32]

AD is single handedly trying to change a Players Union-NFL policy that was negotiated and agreed upon by both.

Rookie contracts were discussed and debated to determine length, duration and amount.

AD wants to change that without going through the CBA. When he was drafted and signed his contract with the Rams, he made a court binding obligation.

By holding out, he is hurting himself and undermining the players union.

This is completely wrong. The NFL and NFLPA agreed that rookies could renegotiate their contracts after Year 3 but no sooner. Donald is abiding by the rules in place.

 

[jrry32]

Frankly, I think it's odd for people to be on the side of the billionaires raking in the profits on the backs of a bunch of young men willing to sacrifice their long-term physical (and likely mental) health to become rich but nowhere near as rich as the owners.

The players are gladiators competing for our entertainment. They deserve to get paid what they're worth. They're the ones putting everything on the line.

 

[OldSchool]

Frankly, I think it's odd for people to be on the side of the billionaires raking in the profits on the backs of a bunch of young men willing to sacrifice their long-term physical (and likely mental) health to become rich but nowhere near as rich as the owners.

The players are gladiators competing for our entertainment. They deserve to get paid what they're worth. They're the ones putting everything on the line.

Not on either side honestly. Players and owners both are making themselves rich on our dime. My biggest issue, and yes I know it's his right, is the hold out. IMO get your ass to camp and don't be like the owners and honor the contract you signed. This holdout isn't going to hurt Kroenke he's still going to make his billions. The only people it hurts are him, his teammates and the fans.