In a truly astounding, record-setting player exchange in NFL annals, the Los Angeles Rams dispatched defensive end Jared Verse, a first-round selection for 2027, a second-round pick for 2028, and a third-round choice for 2029 to the Cleveland Browns, acquiring in return the esteemed pass-rushing sensation, Myles Garrett.
Garrett is coming off his second triumph as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, a season during which he established a new league benchmark for sacks in a single campaign with 23. The Rams’ addition of the 30-year-old, 6-foot-4, 272-pound behemoth positioned them as the sole franchise with single-digit odds to clinch the Super Bowl next season.
Now envision an equally formidable Aaron Donald causing mayhem in the trenches alongside Garrett. This isn’t entirely an optimistic fantasy — at least, that’s what the current indications suggest.
Approximately two years ago, Donald declared his retirement from the NFL following a 10-year career that saw him claim three DPOY accolades and one Super Bowl victory. However, after the Garrett trade sent reverberations through the football community on Monday, whispers regarding the prospect of Donald emerging from retirement intensified.
One of Donald’s former teammates, retired defensive lineman Michael Brockers, hinted at the potential for such a return during the “Locked On Rams Squad Show” episode that circulated Monday evening.
“I would articulate that I do possess certain insights that could be perceived as privileged knowledge not widely available,” Brockers stated deliberately, provocatively, and enigmatically. “But I’m not going to reveal everything, as you understand. You must watch more of the ‘Locked On Rams’ program to glean some of that.”
“Nonetheless, I will assert this: My associate is maintaining his readiness so he does not need to get ready, and I will simply leave the audience with that thought to encourage more viewership for the upcoming show later this week.”
Co-host Gavin Carlson then exclaimed: “Oh my goodness. Alright, well, I suppose I’ll immediately jump on Twitter and announce, ‘Breaking news: According to Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald is making a comeback!’”
Carlson proceeded: “If Aaron Donald were playing alongside me, that’s one situation. If you, ‘Big Brock,’ were also playing with me, then we’d encounter significant challenges.”
In response, Brockers reiterated “I wouldn’t kid” repeatedly, implying that he would not invent such a story.
Further stimulating speculation was Donald sharing videos on Instagram of his training sessions, accompanied by the hashtag “#ready.”
Then on Tuesday afternoon, during his broadcast, Pat McAfee read aloud an apparent text exchange between himself and Donald that seemed to corroborate that the prospective Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive player has not definitively closed the door on a return to action.
McAfee mentioned that Donald conveyed to him that the Garrett acquisition “without a doubt” sparked his contemplation.
Reciting the conversation, McAfee then presented Donald’s subsequent message: “At 35, stepped away two years prior, need to assess if that intensity can rekindle.”
It’s noteworthy that Donald still appears every inch the 6-foot-1, 280-pound physical marvel who terrorized offensive lines for many years. Moreover, during the 2023 season, his final year before stepping away, he accumulated eight sacks and earned his eighth first-team All-Pro distinction, establishing himself as one of the game’s most influential interior defensive players.
A reasonable inquiry to pose, however, is whether the Rams can financially accommodate Donald within their already costly roster.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter addressed that hypothetical scenario Tuesday morning on “Get Up.”
“Again, we could deliberate on this, and I presented this concept to the Rams yesterday, and they indicated that, at present, their financial resources are fully committed. They’ve allocated funds to Trent McDuffie, who has become the highest-compensated cornerback in professional football. Myles Garrett is being paid under a four-year, $160 million agreement that he will adjust to more advantageous terms for the Rams, yet they are investing a substantial sum.
“Another franchise telephoned me yesterday, asking, ‘Could the Rams acquire Aaron Donald?’ And I responded, ‘They have no remaining funds.’ And that individual rejoined, ‘In this league, financial solutions can always be identified.’ And it brought to mind what teams stated when they contacted me in late March, when they asserted, ‘The Browns are trading Myles Garrett,’ and the Browns countered, ‘We are not trading Myles Garrett.’ Teams are speculating the Rams might now pursue Aaron Donald.”
Schefter later added: “I do not assign a high likelihood of this occurring. But I am not prepared to simply dismiss it and declare this is absolutely not going to happen this year.”
Schefter’s colleague, Peter Schrager, remarked that when Donald retired after his season at age 32, his aspiration was to explore a Hollywood career analogous to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s. While that ambition has not yet materialized, Donald has maintained his physical readiness for football, Schrager noted.
Schrager also emphasized that Donald remains “very actively” in communication with the Rams organization.
“The bond that [Sean] McVay shares with Aaron Donald is profoundly strong, and [he] frequently communicates with Aaron Donald and his spouse, Erica; a very deep connection persists. I don’t consider such interaction particularly unusual after they bring in Myles Garrett.”
