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 by Horny Mcbae
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   1543  
 Joined:  Mar 12 2018
United States of America   South Bay, Los Angeles
Pro Bowl

Image

This has been a long time coming. One place to discuss all news and discussion Aaron Donald related. Kindly put any new AD tweets or articles you want to share in this thread so it's easy to follow for everyone. Even if you don't see it on page 1 just search or go to page 2. Much appreciated.

Anyway, here we go.

Now that Brandin and Todd are signed to big deals the next domino to fall should be Donald. If we sign him and then Goff when the time comes that should give us a great spine to build around every season. This team can be good for a long time if things work out.

A few points about Donald.

1. How much money does he frickin need? If he is asking for QB money, like its been rumored, i wouldn't want us to pay that. I know that hurts but it might hamstring the team for years to come. I'd rather not.

2. If we can't come to an agreement this summer how likely is that he gets franchise tagged the next summer. I'd say pretty likely. What do ya'll think?

3. He is going to be the highest paid defensive player in history but whats the number that you would be comfortable with?

Hope this happens soon and hope that its a fair deal for both team and player.

 by aeneas1
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   16894  
 Joined:  Sep 13 2015
United States of America   Norcal
Hall of Fame

the guy is such a stud, sure hope the rams can wrap him up... that said, i'm over the moon that the rams are wrapping up key offensive skill position players, add goff to the mix when the time comes and we should be in awesome shape for years to come.

 by Horny Mcbae
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   1543  
 Joined:  Mar 12 2018
United States of America   South Bay, Los Angeles
Pro Bowl

I'm pleasantly surprised by the way the team is extending the top players like Todd and Cooks earlier than needed. 2 years from now these numbers are gonna look even better. Donald has to be next.

Another point i wanted to discuss. I kept reading about "timeline" from Snead about the Donald extension? Could that have meant that we wanted to extend some other players first and then him or was that totally unrelated?

If we have offered to him the largest contract for any defensive player in history and he still hasn't signed.................... i would be a bit worried. Dude needs to see the way this team is shaping up. The approach of the front office. The excellent coaching staff and realize he can part of something very special here.

 by Zen_Ronin
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   2036  
 Joined:  Sep 26 2016
Canada   Edmonton, AB
Pro Bowl

Personally I think this has more to do with"status" than actual dollars. AD wants to (and should) be the highest paid D-line man in the NFL. Well so does Kalil Mack. I think they're playing chicken with eachother. Once one signs, the other will sign within days for a few mil more.

A weird perspective I know, but it's one I've held for awhile now.

 by Elvis
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   38381  
 Joined:  Mar 28 2015
United States of America   Los Angeles
Administrator

https://www.sbsun.com/2018/07/24/bonsig ... ium=social

Bonsignore: Why hasn’t Aaron Donald signed his big Rams contract?

By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: July 24, 2018 at 3:37 pm | UPDATED: July 24, 2018 at 5:01 pm

IRVINE — If you’re keeping track of the Rams’ recent contract developments – and based on my Twitter feed that seems a likely bet – a natural reaction would be to scream: “But what about Aaron Donald?!”

Understandable given how Donald and the Rams have been talking for more than a year about a new contract that reflects his status as the best defensive player in the NFL.

Yet, they have exactly nothing to show for it.

That is, aside from an entire 2017 training camp holdout and the potential of another one this year. The Rams open camp Thursday at UC Irvine, but with Donald barreling into the last year of a rookie deal that falls embarrassingly short of paying him fairly, it seems unlikely he’ll step foot anywhere near Orange County until a new deal is secured.

And rightfully so.

No one deserves a new contract more than Donald, whose performance at defensive tackle the past four years has soared so far above his paycheck he’s easily the most underpaid player in the league. And given the money he’d stand to lose should he get hurt before signing an extension, it would be foolish of him to suit up for anything short of an actual game practice until an extension finally comes to fruition.

Nevertheless, less than 48 hours before camp officially starts, Donald and the Rams still haven’t found common ground on a new deal.

It stands to reason, then, how people were scratching their heads upon learning the Rams handed running back Todd Gurley a lucrative four-year, $60 million extension after already locking up wide receiver Brandin Cooks with a five-year, $80 million extension just last week.

Fans are probably asking: “Um, what about Aaron Donald?” in a way that suggests the Rams are prioritizing other players at the expense of arguably their best.

Understandable.

But not practical.

In fact, the question is flawed.

It’s no longer: “What about Aaron Donald?”

It’s: “What about it, Aaron Donald?”

The Rams have demonstrated they are willing to pay at the top of a position market – as they did with Gurley to reset the running back market – or competitively by making Cooks among the highest-paid receivers in the game. It stands to reason they’d do the same for Donald, coming off a 2017 season in which he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and racked up 91 quarterback pressures in 14 games.

Given the Cooks and Gurley contracts, you’d be on the safest of grounds to deduce the Rams have offered Donald a deal that makes him the highest-paid defensive player in the history of the NFL and makes him the first non-quarterback to break the $20 million per year threshold.

For argument’s sake, let’s just say it’s $21 million per year. And in terms of guaranteed money, let’s safely presume there’s more than $70 million sitting in the middle of the table just waiting for Donald to claim.

That’s game-changing and generation-changing money that sets Donald up for the rest of his life and earns him the rightful distinction of being the highest-paid defensive player of all time.

That’s game-set-match if you’re Donald and his agents.

Or should be.

That it’s not is remarkably telling. And not in a way that reflects poorly on the Rams. They are ready and willing to do right by their star defensive tackle.

Within reason, of course.

Which brings us to the question: “What about it, Aaron Donald?”

What’s the holdup?

What could you possibly be demanding so above and beyond what the Rams are offering that common ground has been so elusive to find?

Donald and his agent, Todd France, have kept a tight lid on contract talks. As have the Rams. But there is speculation within NFL circles Donald is looking for a landmark deal.
In fact, an NFL general manager told me recently word on the street is Donald and his agent aren’t just seeking a deal that resets the defensive market. They are looking for top quarterback money, which would mean pushing that $21 million to between $25 million and $30 million per year and thrusting that $70 million to the $80 million and beyond range.

If so, that would be a reckless disruption to the Rams’ salary cap given the need to eventually pay Jared Goff, who is well on his way to becoming an elite quarterback.

On top of already paying Gurley and Cooks top dollar and eventually locking up star cornerback Marcus Peters and tackle Rob Havenstein and guard Rodger Saffold.

In a perfect, non-salary cap world, the Rams back up the Brinks Truck and pay Donald whatever he wants. But the world in which they operate consists of an unforgiving salary cap under which 53 players must fit. Ideally with fair contracts reflecting their performance.

The Rams have been ready and willing to pay Donald accordingly and historically. The contracts they gave to Cooks and Gurley back that up.

So what’s the holdup on Donald?

Better yet, “What about it, Aaron Donald?”

 by Horny Mcbae
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   1543  
 Joined:  Mar 12 2018
United States of America   South Bay, Los Angeles
Pro Bowl

I like how the tide is slowly turning from "Pay the Man" to "whats the hold up Aaron?".

Valid question.

Take the giant, history changing contract the Rams are offering and lets go get this Super Bowl ring man. We not me mah dawg.

 by Elvis
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   38381  
 Joined:  Mar 28 2015
United States of America   Los Angeles
Administrator

We still don't really know for sure what's going on, just a combination of speculation, reporting based on anonymous sources and common sense conjecture on our parts.

I still think this gets done soon but i could easily be wrong...

 by RedAlice
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   6596  
 Joined:  Aug 07 2015
United States of America   Dallas, Texas
Hall of Fame

Dick84 wrote:I've been saying... since last year.... what does Donald want?
I'll say this much... I think it's probably ridiculous and that's why his side is quiet.


Agree with this.

Donald wants to and will make history.

Will it be with the Rams? Unknown.

Fact for this upcoming season tho: if he wants to be the first D player paid like a QB, he’s gotta ball.

That’s for us right now.

I see no issue letting this play out. Winning a SB only helps his cause.

 by /zn/
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   6758  
 Joined:  Jun 28 2015
United States of America   Maine
Hall of Fame

Horny Mcbae wrote:Image

This has been a long time coming. One place to discuss all news and discussion Aaron Donald related. Kindly put any new AD tweets or articles you want to share in this thread so it's easy to follow for everyone. Even if you don't see it on page 1 just search or go to page 2. Much appreciated.

Anyway, here we go.

Now that Brandin and Todd are signed to big deals the next domino to fall should be Donald. If we sign him and then Goff when the time comes that should give us a great spine to build around every season. This team can be good for a long time if things work out.

A few points about Donald.

1. How much money does he frickin need? If he is asking for QB money, like its been rumored, i wouldn't want us to pay that. I know that hurts but it might hamstring the team for years to come. I'd rather not.

2. If we can't come to an agreement this summer how likely is that he gets franchise tagged the next summer. I'd say pretty likely. What do ya'll think?

3. He is going to be the highest paid defensive player in history but whats the number that you would be comfortable with?

Hope this happens soon and hope that its a fair deal for both team and player.


I respectfully disagree with almost all of that.

1. qb money in 2018 is 28 M (ie. for 2nd contracts) and no one suggests he is asking for that. He's probably in line for something more like 23-24 M and that stopped being qb money after 2015. So if he gets 23 M, that will be just a little more than what qbs got on 2nd contracts in 2015. There is no real reason to NOT pay an elite defender what qbs were getting 4 contract years ago. Wait till Goff signs when the average money on starting qb 2nd contracts will be 30-something M. I think the whole "paid like a qb" stuff when reporters use it is more smoke than light.

2. How do you know the issue is him needing so much or the Rams not coming through giving him fair market value? Truth is, until we get more real info, no one really knows if the issue is the Rams, Donald, both, or if in fact there's no problem and they're getting there.

3. The tag amount is a lowball compared to his market worth. (The tag would be around 15 M and discussions of his worth I've seen range from 21 to 24 M). Given that , if he gets tagged to me it's likely he sits out and asks to be traded. As I understand it, if the Rams have a tag on him, even if he doesn't sign it, it counts against the cap. Star players who demand to be traded tend to get traded. It's either that or the Rams have no Donald, he counts against the cap, and they're getting nothing for him unless they trade him.

4. He may be the highest paid defender when he signs but that won't last long. There's going to be a day in the near future when Donald will be eclipsed a few times over. Anyway what am I comfortable with? 23-24 M with 80 M guaranteed. If it;s a bit more I have no complaints.


...

 by RedAlice
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   6596  
 Joined:  Aug 07 2015
United States of America   Dallas, Texas
Hall of Fame

I always smile when a fan says I am good with that. Or I agree with that. Or I have no complaints.

Really, who cares?????

We are fans. We are not controlling this.

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475 posts Mar 28 2024