The Rams Don't Actually Need Aaron Donald to Win the Super Bowl

As the Los Angeles Rams head into training camp, speculation continues to grow on whether or not Donald will come out of retirement and return to the team. While Donald would undoubtedly provide a boost to the defense, it’s also fair to say that whether he returns or not, the Rams remain Super Bowl contenders.

Heading into the middle of the summer, the Rams are currently Super Bowl favorites without Donald on the roster at +700. Donald’s return would not drastically improve those odds as the Rams were already serious contenders. At most, Donald increases the Rams’ odds by one or two percent.

Why the Rams Don't Need Donald to Contend

When Donald retired following the 2023 season, the Rams had already begun prepping for life after him. In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams selected Kobie Turner on the defensive line and also added Byron Young. From 2017 to 2022, the Rams didn’t add a single defensive lineman within the first three rounds of the draft.

In 2023, the Rams drafted Turner and then traded up for Braden Fiske during the 2024 draft. That also doesn't include players such as Ty Davis and Ty Hamilton, whom the Rams drafted in the later rounds.

To put it simply, while the Rams were never going to replace Aaron Donald, they attempted to do so in the aggregate. Instead of Donald being surrounded by lesser players, the Rams built a more balanced group. The result was building one of the deeper defensive lines in the NFL.

Why the Rams Are Still Super Bowl Favorites

This isn’t to say that the Rams wouldn’t welcome Donald back with open arms if he does decide to return. However, if Donald decides not to come back, they will be fine without him. The Rams are Super Bowl favorites without Donald and that only slightly increases with him.

There’s also no guarantee what version of Donald the Rams would get. While the Rams don’t need Donald to be the guy and be the dominant force that he was, they likely wouldn't be getting that player anyway.

Over the past two years, the Rams’ defensive line has performed well without Donald. Turner built on the season he spent alongside Donald and has developed into a very good starter. He had nine sacks as a rookie and has 15 sacks over the last two years combined. Fiske had a sophomore slump last year, but managed 8.5 sacks as a rookie. The upside is still there.

The Defense Is Strong Enough Without Donald

Along with Turner and Fiske, the Rams have Poona Ford, Ty Davis, and Ty Hamilton who excel against the run. The Rams have a good rotation of players on the defensive line and that has been built by design.

On the edge, Myles Garrett gives the Rams a finisher while Byron Young remains productive. Young exceeded the 10-sack mark for the first time in his career last season with 12.

That balance also may be partially why Donald is open to making a comeback. Throughout his entire career, Donald was ‘the guy’ on the defensive line. Only three times in his career did Donald have a teammate eclipse 10 sacks. When he had 20.5 sacks in 2018, the next closest player was Ndamukong Suh with 4.5. Playing alongside Garrett and a more established Turner and Fiske, Donald can settle in as just another player in that group.

The Rams have spent much of the last three seasons building a balanced defensive line and that doesn’t change with or without Donald. The Rams would certainly welcome Donald back, and he’d raise the ceiling. At the same time, the Rams are Super Bowl contenders whether or not he returns.

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