Why the Next Week Is Critical for Aaron Donald’s Rams Return

The Los Angeles Rams are nearing the end of the preseason and are still awaiting the decision of defensive lineman Aaron Donald. Over the last two months, Donald has been contemplating a return to the Rams. While he’s worked out multiple times at the team’s facility, Donald has yet to make an official decision as he prepares to get into football shape.

At the end of training camp, head coach Sean McVay said that Donald’s return would likely come when the team left Loyola Marymount and returned to their team facility in Woodland Hills. The Rams have been in Woodland Hills for three weeks, and Donald has yet to make his decision.

Rams Still Await Aaron Donald’s Decision

McVay confirmed on Tuesday that there are no updates regarding Donald and that the team has plans if he’s with the team and if he’s not during roster cuts.

“It’s really more of, like, truly just take it a day at a time,” said McVay. “I know you think I’m just being coy, but that’s really the truth. If he decides he wants to be able to do it, then the next conversations are, ‘What is your ramp-up? What does it look like to approach whenever that would be the first time that we think would make the most sense for him to impact and influence positive change with us?’”

The Rams would certainly like a decision from Donald sooner rather than later. However, they’ve been consistent throughout the entire process that they aren’t putting a timeline on it, and Donald has earned the right to be able to make an informed decision. The Rams are Super Bowl favorites without Donald, and that won’t change if he returns.

Rams Still Need to Resolve Aaron Donald’s Contract

If Donald does decide to return, the biggest obstacle remains his contract. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently went on the Rich Eisen Show to discuss the possibility of Donald coming back with Week 1 approaching.

“This isn't from Rams people or from Donald's people, but one thing that has continually come up,” said Breer. “When I talk to other people in the league about it is, 'How do you work out the money part of it? How much are you paying him? How does it fit into their budget, both cash and cap?' So there's that piece of it too. I don't think he's going to want to come out there and play for free."

💻 @AlbertBreer

Is the reason Aaron Donald hasn't made his comeback official with #RamsHouse really about money?#NFL pic.twitter.com/h8vJx2MJTi
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 24, 2026

When Donald retired, he left $30 million on the table. While the Rams have paid out those guarantees, he’s still owed the remaining money on the contract if he were to come back. However, it also seems unlikely that the Rams would pay Donald $30 million, and if so, they would need to structure it in a way that works. Right now, they only have $15 million in cap space.

Aaron Donald’s Return Timeline Remains Unclear

The contract remains its own obstacle, but the overall timeline for when Donald could return remains the biggest question. When McVay mentioned that Donald likely wouldn’t return until the team returned to Woodland Hills, many would have expected him to be back by now.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported back on August 9 that Donald could make a decision about his future with the Rams by the end of the week. Again, that was over two weeks ago, and Donald has yet to make his decision.

There comes a point where many are just ready for the saga to be over, and that’s where we’ve reached with Donald. It’s important for Donald to make sure his body can handle the physicality of an NFL season, but it’s almost as if he’s ‘friend-zoned’ the Rams’ franchise. He’s been leading them on that he could potentially return, and we’ve remained at this point of ‘will he or won’t he.’ Does he want to go on a date or just remain friends? The Rams will go on with their business either way, but he needs to make a decision.

The Next Week Could Be Critical for Donald’s Return

If Donald does make a decision, the next week feels crucial. Back in 2018, Donald ended his holdout with the Rams on August 31. That was one day after their final preseason game and 10 days before Week 1.

The Rams are set to play their final preseason game on Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers. If Donald decides to return on Friday, one day after the game with the Chargers, it would be 10 days before the Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers.

However, in 2017, Donald ended his holdout on September 9. That was one day before the Rams’ Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Donald didn’t play Week 1 and returned for Week 2.

A Familiar Timeline Could Be Emerging for Donald

Both of those timelines seem realistic. With the Rams opening the season in Australia, it’s possible that Donald simply doesn’t want to make the trip. That’s speculation, but it would make sense given the length of travel. If Donald makes a decision on Friday following the game against the Chargers, that would still give him ample time to work his way into the defense and get ready. The Rams would be done with their offseason program, and the focus would be Week 1 against the 49ers.

Throughout the process, the expectation has been that if Donald returns, he will do so by Week 1. Donald would be all-in or not come back at all. With the season quickly approaching, the window for him to return is narrowing. As much as the Rams have prepared for both possibilities, at some point they will need clarity. They have remained patient throughout the process and given Donald the space he needs. The next week or two should provide a final answer.

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