Life after Aaron Donald: What's next for Los Angeles Rams?
Los Angeles Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday after 10 seasons.
Donald contemplated retirement last offseason but decided to come back in 2023 for what turned out to be his final year in a Rams uniform.
He produced 543 tackles, 111 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, 24 forced fumbles and 21 passes defended in 154 career regular-season games. He also recorded 34 tackles, six sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 11 postseason games and helped the Rams win Super Bowl 56.
Donald’s retirement leaves a gaping hole in the Rams' defense. USA TODAY Sports examines what’s next for the Rams in the wake of Donald’s retirement:
Rebuild the defense
Beyonce had a hit single called “Irreplaceable”, that’s what Donald is to the Rams. A compelling case could be made that Donald is the best player ever for a Rams franchise that has boasted the likes of Eric Dickerson, Deacon Jones, Jackie Slater, Isaac Bruce and more.
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Donald was a force as a three-technique defensive tackle and a premier defensive player in the NFL for a decade. The Rams built their defense inside out around Donald.
If the Rams desire to build their defense from inside out again, they’ll need to find another three-technique defensive anchor and those are difficult to come by.
Kobie Turner (9), Desjuan Johnson (2.0), Bobby Brown III (0.5) and Cory Durden are the only defensive linemen on the Rams’ current roster. The four defensive linemen have a combined 11.5 career sacks and are all 25 or younger.
New defensive coordinator Chris Shula, who replaced Raheem Morris this offseason, will have his hands full scheming up a defense with many new inexperienced players.
Draft at least one defensive tackle
The Rams have the 19th overall pick in the 2024 draft. The club has 11 total picks in the 2024 draft, including four in the top 100.
The Rams originally drafted Donald with the 13th pick in the 2014 draft.
Texas’ T'Vondre Sweat, Texas’ Byron Murphy II, Illinois’ Jer'Zhan Newton, Michigan’s Kris Jenkins and Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. are five of the top defensive tackle prospects in this year’s draft.
It’s unfair to place Donald-type expectations on any one of the defensive tackle prospects in this year’s draft, but the Rams should select at least one defensive lineman in April.
Make a splash in free agency
The Rams currently have roughly $27 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
Defensive tackles Chris Jones, Justin Madubuike and Christian Wilkins headlined the 2024 free agent class. Unfortunately for the Rams, Jones returned to the Chiefs, Madubuike re-upped in Baltimore and Wilkins signed with the Raiders.
Calais Campbell is USA TODAY Sports’ top ranked remaining defensive lineman. But Campbell isn’t a long-term solution at 38 years old. Free agent Jadeveon Clowney is best suited as an edge rusher but can slide inside in a crunch.
The upcoming 2025 free-agent defensive tackle class isn’t as stout. The Colts’ DeForest Buckner and Packers’ Kenny Clark are slated to be free agents in 2025.
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