New Report Suggests Aaron Donald Isn’t Expected to Sign With Rams Anytime Soon

The Los Angeles Rams are set to report to training camp on July 25 and the biggest question remaining is whether Aaron Donald will be there. After the Rams traded for edge rusher Myles Garrett, there has been continued speculation that Donald could consider coming out of retirement and rejoining the Rams.

As things currently stand, it appears Donald is moving closer to a return. However, the timeline of when Donald could return remains uncertain. Last week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that there’s no deadline and he didn’t believe Donald would be showing up to training camp.

Adam Schefter Shares Latest Update on Donald

Following Donald’s workout at the team facility over a week ago, the speculation surrounding a Donald return has only continued to heat up. In the days after Donald’s workout, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Donald worked out at the team facility to see where his mind and body were at. Schefter discussed Donald’s situation again on his podcast on Tuesday.

“Aaron Donald is essentially trying to get himself ready for the upcoming season,” said Schefter. “It doesn't sound like we're going to get an immediate answer or an immediate signing of Aaron Donald. He is too busy trying to get himself back into football shape to try and regain some of the form that he might've lost in two years away from football. If it takes all summer long for him to get into football shape, you may not hear about an Aaron Donald deal until later this summer. In fact, at this point, it appears it would be a surprise to see an Aaron Donald deal sooner. It doesn't sound like it's going to move fast and we may not see Donald back until early this season."

A look at training camp storylines for each of the 32 NFL teams, including how Aaron Donald’s decision about whether to play does not currently seem to be close.

Cc: @tyschmit https://t.co/Xdon0lgoMK pic.twitter.com/F9eTdYzny7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 21, 2026

The focus continues to be Donald getting himself ready for the upcoming season and there doesn’t appear to be a firm timeline. With that said, it would be surprising to see Donald report to training camp next week.

The Rams May Have to Wait

It’s very possible that Donald uses that time to continue working out on his own to get into football shape and then join the team after training camp around August 10. That would put Donald back in a Rams uniform in time to participate in both joint practices.

However, Donald could wait until closer to the regular season. Back in 2017, Donald held out due to a contract dispute and finally joined the team eight days before the regular season. Donald missed Week 1, but reports seem to suggest that Donald could return early in the season.

What Happens Next?

There’s also the aspect of Donald’s contract. According to ESPN Peter Schrager last week, the two sides haven’t even discussed a contract yet. Once Donald decides that he wants to return, it’s then up to the Rams to find a solution. Donald signed a three-year contract extension in 2022 that ran through 2025. If Donald decides to return, the two sides will need to come up with a number and structure that makes sense. Right now, the Rams would owe Donald $30 million as that is what was remaining in his old contract.

While it appears Donald may be working toward a return, there is still no definitive timeline. Even if some would like an answer as soon as possible, this looks to be something that could drag on until after training camp and as the Rams get closer to the season.

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