New Report Sheds Light on Aaron Donald's Potential Rams Contract

As the Los Angeles Rams get closer to training camp, the speculation of an Aaron Donald return continues to heat up. On Friday, Donald worked out at the Rams’ facility with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that Donald told the team that he wanted to see how he felt. At this point, it seems more a question of when, not if, Donald will return to the Rams.

A Rams-Aaron Donald return feels like it’s getting closer. The Rams report to training camp in under two weeks and it would make sense for him to return by then. Friday’s workout was clearly a test to see where his mind and body were at. If Donald felt good, the two sides would simply need to work out the details.

Peter Schrager Offers Contract Insight

ESPN’s Peter Schrager went on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday and discussed Donald’s return. While Schrager is more of a personality than an insider, he does have his connections within the Rams’ building due to his friendship with head coach Sean McVay.

“They haven’t even discussed money yet,” said Schrager. “That’s the secondary part of this. The first is, does Aaron Donald want to come back? Is he prepared to come back? The Rams would welcome him with open arms, obviously, if the numbers worked out. But this is not going to be one of those deals where it’s like Week 2, Week 3, Week 4. He wants to go the full season and he wants to be the best version of himself. Training camp starts in a week. I would imagine we would have more information by then.”

"The Rams and Aaron Donald haven't even discussed money yet..

If he comes back he wants to go the full season"@PSchrags #PMSLive https://t.co/rJ08pSKIcd pic.twitter.com/OCMF9dCnj5
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 14, 2026

The biggest hurdle for a Donald return is what his contract would look like. If Donald does want to return, it’s somewhat unprecedented. When he retired, Donald’s cap number was $26 million. It’s unlikely that Donald gets that much, but he also won’t settle for a one-year, $3 million contract either.

What Would a Donald Contract Look Like?

When it comes to a contract, Donald and the Rams will need to figure out something that works for both sides and is fair. The Rams currently have $18 million in cap space. At 37 years old, Cam Heyward’s deal averages $18 million. Grady Jarrett and Javon Hargrave are 33 with deals that average $14.5 million and $11.5 million respectively. However, both players also haven’t been out of the league for two years. While it wasn’t a report, Schrager did speculate on what a Donald contract could look like.

"I don't think Aaron Donald is going to be the one to say, 'I need $40 million for the year,'" said Schrager. "It'll be incentives-based, and it’ll also be, ‘I’m not ruining it for those young guys. They're next in line, I get it, but I need something.’ He's going to get paid something, and it's going to be incentives-based, I'm sure.”

"Aaron Donald wants to be the best version of himself if he returns..

He wants to be the most dominant defensive tackle in the league and there's a chance he still can be" ~ @PSchrags #PMSLive https://t.co/pgUDr77UN9 pic.twitter.com/hOVApwWheg
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 14, 2026

Given that the Rams have $18 million in cap space, they typically like to be around $10 million heading into the season. This allows the Rams to have room should they need to make a trade as well as for in-season practice squad elevations.

The Rams Have Options Under the Salary Cap

It’s possible that the Rams could give Donald $13 million for the season and add void years to the deal, but that’s a route they have avoided. They could also re-work Davante Adams’ contract to create around $11 million in cap space.

Figuring out Donald’s contract is one of several hurdles the Rams will face if he does decide to return. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether Donald felt good after his workout and if he thinks he can handle training camp and then a 17-game season. From there, Donald would need to get reinstated by the league, pass a physical, and then sign a new contract as his previous deal expired.

A Donald return certainly isn’t simple, but if he does decide to come back, the Rams would welcome him with open arms. As the Rams get closer to training camp, a decision is expected sooner rather than later.

Add us as a preferred source on Google