The NFL has begun offseason training activities which means that the 2018 NFL season is only a few short months away. The Los Angeles Rams, fresh off the 2018 NFL Draft, have been dubbed as one of the league’s early contenders for the Super Bowl given all the talent they acquired in free agency and trades.
While there are plenty of fresh faces on the defensive side of the ball, the Rams are still headlined by all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Donald, who displayed his trademark dominance in the trenches, was named the 2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and further solidified his position as one of the best defensive players in NFL history.
However, despite the Pro Bowler’s success, he has still yet to reach an agreement with the Rams on a contract extension, so he has opted to not partake in offseason training activities according to Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Pro-Bowl DT Aaron Donald has informed the Rams that he will not be attending the teams’ Organized Team Activities that start today, per team official. Donald still is seeking his new contract.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2018
This should come as no surprise as he opted to skip out on the Rams’ offseason program last year as well. While there have been reports that the front office has a timeline in mind for a Donald extension to get done, nothing of substance has materialized so far and Los Angeles may very well begin the 2018 NFL campaign without Donald.
People like Sean McVay remain optimistic about a deal getting done in the next couple of months, but it remains to be seen on what kind of salary figure the two sides can agree upon before the season begins. However, re-signing a player of Donald’s caliber is a no-brainer and fans should expect him to remain in a Rams uniform for the long haul.