Aaron Donald: Adding Fuel to the Fire

Aaron Donald decided to come out of retirement and sign with the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year, $20 million deal. Before this move even happened, the Rams already looked like the best team in the NFL by a mile. So, what does adding one of the greatest defensive players of all time do for a team that seemingly already had it all?

For starters, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, gets some serious help. Between Donald and Garrett, the two have combined for 236.5 career sacks, five Defensive Player of the Year awards, the single-season sack record for a defensive tackle and the single-season sack record for any defensive player. On paper, that sounds like one of the deadliest defensive duos the NFL has ever seen. Then add in Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, two of the most underrated defensive linemen in the NFL, who is going to stop this team from getting to the Quarterback?

Questions are already arising about how productive Donald can be coming out of retirement. Even if he is only half the player he once was, the entire defensive line will be elevated. His presence will force coaches to change their protection schemes. Teams will be forced to double-team certain players, leaving others in a 1-on-1 battle. There may even be plays where everyone across the defensive line gets a 1-on-1 battle. Garrett is going to win that matchup more often than not. Teams will also need extra linemen or tight ends for blocking, leaving fewer receivers on the field and giving the Rams fewer targets to cover.

Somehow, Donald and Garrett teaming up isn't even the only reason to be excited about this Rams defense. They made the most underrated move all year by trading for Trent McDuffie. Since 2022, McDuffie has the second-best PFF coverage grade among cornerbacks and has already earned both First-Team and Second-Team All-Pro honors in his first four NFL seasons. Adding an elite corner to a defense with this kind of pass rush makes an already scary unit even harder to attack.

This is only the defensive side of the ball, as the offense has a chance to be generational. The anchor of the team is the MVP, Matthew Stafford, who should win the award again because this team shouldn't lose more than three games.

Stafford led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns last year. I expect him to lead these categories again this year because the defense should help the offense get on the field much more. Then there is Puka Nacua. Nacua led the NFL in receptions and was second in receiving yards last year. I think that he will take another step and win Offensive Player of the Year in 2026, as he was first-team All-Pro last year and was third in the race for the award. As if that weren't enough, the Rams have one of the best No. 2 receivers in football in Davante Adams, who led the league in receiving touchdowns last year. The backfield is anchored by Kyren Williams, with Blake Corum providing a reliable backup who could be in line for a huge third season. The Rams' offensive firepower seems endless, and their collection of weapons is among the best in football.

With a legitimate chance to have both the NFL's best offense and best defense, winning the Super Bowl might not be the only historic accomplishment within reach for this Rams team. The NFL may never see another undefeated season, but on paper, this Rams roster looks capable of making a run at perfection. They have the talent to break records on both sides of the ball, and with the roster they've built, I expect them to do just that. Anything can happen over the course of an NFL season, but at the end of the year, the Rams will be holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy.