Speculation Swirls: NFL Insider Suggests Rams' Aaron Donald May Be Up For Trade
Earlier this offseason, the Los Angeles Rams shocked the league by sending key player Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins. Now, ESPN's Dan Graziano is raising eyebrows by suggesting that the Rams may not be done dealing away core players�specifically mentioning defensive tackle Aaron Donald as a potential trade candidate.
Graziano's speculations come as part of his preseason surprises forecast for all 32 NFL teams. He pointed out that the Rams appear to be in a rebuilding phase, as evidenced by their nearly $75 million in dead money against this year's salary cap. According to Graziano, the Rams' strategy might be to absorb all these losses now in order to free up financial room for new acquisitions next season.
Although Graziano admitted he's not privy to Donald's personal sentiments, he suggested that if the player wishes to compete for a contender and the Rams are not in that category, a mid-season trade could be a blockbuster move. He even speculated on the idea that teams like the Jets clear cap space without an immediate purchase plan, just to be prepared for unexpected opportunities like this one.
Coming off a Super Bowl 56 win last year, the Rams had extended contracts for Donald, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. However, last season ended in disappointment, with the team finishing 5-12, plagued by injuries.
While the trade of Ramsey was unexpected, the Rams haven't signaled any intent to offload other central players like Donald, Kupp, or Stafford. Nevertheless, that could change if the team finds itself out of playoff contention as the trade deadline approaches.
The Rams are aiming to bounce back from last season's disappointments as they open their season on September 10 against NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, at Lumen Field.
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2 SEPTEMBRE | 28 ANSWERS Speculation Swirls: NFL Insider Suggests Rams' Aaron Donald May Be Up For Trade Is Aaron Donald still a top 5 defensive player? | ||
| yes | 19 | 67.9 % |
| no | 9 | 32.1 % |
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