The Los Angeles Rams opened up training camp along with the rest of the NFL last week, and they welcomed the pillars of their roster back.
Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are back and will try to prop up the offense, while the defense saw Aaron Donald make his return as well. Like Kupp, Donald suffered a high-ankle sprain in 2022 that ended his season but the star defensive tackle is healthy and ready to lead a young and inexperienced defensive unit.
Donald has long been one of the league’s most feared defensive linemen as he routinely blows up plays almost single-handedly. Opposing teams are forced to throw multiple players at him to block him, but Donald usually finds a way to impact a play.
With the Rams lacking many pass rushing options, Donald revealed that Sean McVay has been ordering double and triple teams on him in order to better prepare him for 2023.
“So Sean gave me a lot of double and triple teams,” Donald said. “It’s realistic right now so me just trying to find ways to defeat that and obviously working with other guys with different games and things like that to trying to play off it. So right now, it is about two, three guys on me, so it’s what I expect on the season so I’m getting it now. So just getting the work that I need and trying to find ways to get everything going. Everybody clicking on the same page and trying to find ways to be successful.”
Donald is always going to be the focal point of a gameplan because slowing him down is the most effective way to neutralize Los Angeles’ defense. Raheem Morris has done well to move Donald around the line of scrimmage in order to give him the best chance at getting in the backfield, but that might be more difficult this season.
Normally during training camp, players are working on different things but it sounds like the team is giving Donald the most realistic looks they expect to see over the course of the season. It might not be what he wants, but it’ll only help Donald get better and set the Rams up better for success.
Aaron Donald feeling as motivated as ever
Entering his 10th season, Donald’s got nothing left to prove considering what he’s been able to accomplish. However, the superstar isn’t thinking that way and said he’s feeling as motivated as ever to show what he can do.
