2018 NFL CONTRACT PROJECTION: Rams DT Aaron Donald

Aaron Donald Measureables

Height: 6-1
Weight: 285
Age: 26
Experience: 4 seasons
Status: 5th Year Option
4-Time Pro Bowler; 3-Time 1st-Team All-Pro

Los Angeles Rams Projected Cap Space (Top 51): $39.9 million (per Over The Cap as of March 5*)

Aaron Donald Profile

Not only is Aaron Donald the most dominant defensive lineman in the NFL, but he’s also one of the league’s best players, irrespective of position.

He’s an athletic force who lives in the offensive backfield. His quickness and first step are unmatched at the position. Donald possesses great strength and plays with natural leverage due to his height. He and Von Miller are the hardest players to account for in the NFL.

Equally dominant against the run and pass, Donald is one of the special defensive players that can’t be game planned for. His motor always runs hot, and he’s always around the football. He’s also yet to miss a game in his career.

The 2017 AP Defensive Player of the Year led all defensive tackles with 11.0 sacks. The Rams will have a hard time identifying weaknesses in Donald. He’s alleviated the size concerns he had in college, which were the only question marks surrounding Donald.

Aaron Donald Production

Season	G	Tack	Sacks	QBH	Hurry	Press	TFL	FF	FR
2014	16	48	9	13	30	45	18	2	0
2015	16	69	11	37	43	80	22	0	1
2016	16	47	8	31	26	56	17	2	0
2017	14	41	11	27	34	58	15	5	1
Totals	62	205	39	108	133	239	72	9	2

Defensive Market

As defensive players approach the $20-million mark, Donald is the next of the NFL’s elite to reset the defensive market. There’s an argument for Donald being the best defensive player in the NFL. He’ll see that on his next paycheck.

Player Comparables: DEN Von Miller, MIA Ndamukong Suh, PHI Fletcher Cox

Contract Comparison

Player	Year	Age	Total	APY	GTD	F GTD	1st 3	‘18 APY
Von Miller	2016	27	$114.5M	$19.1M	$70.0M	$42.0M	$61.0M	$21.9M
Ndamukong Suh	2015	28	$114.4M	$19.1M	$60.0M	$60.0M	$60.4M	$23.7M
Fletcher Cox	2016	26	$102.6M	$17.1M	$63.3M	$36.3M	$62.1M	$19.6M
Averages	–	27	$110.5M	$18.4M	$64.4M	$46.1M	$61.2M	$21.7M

Contract information from OverTheCap.com

2018 Cap Adjusted Annual Salary: $21.7 million

Statistical Comparison (Two Year Averages Before Deal)

Donald’s production compares favorably to the league’s highest-paid defensive players, but Donald affects the game far more than he fills the stat sheet. His disruption has pushed plays into his teammates hands since he put on a Rams jersey.

Player	Seasons	Sacks	Pressures	Hurries	QB Hits	TFL	FF	FR
Von Miller	2014-15	12.5	79.5	50.5	29.5	12.5	2.5	2.0
Ndamukong Suh	2013-14	7.0	65.0	45.5	20.0	15.0	0.5	0.0
Fletcher Cox	2014-15	6.8	58.3	43.0	13.5	9.5	2.0	2.5
Averages		8.8	67.6	46.3	21.0	12.3	1.7	1.5
Aaron Donald	2015-17	10.0	64.7	34.3	31.7	18.0	2.3	0.7

Leverage

No disrespect to Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, but Aaron Donald is the best player on the Rams roster. Donald can’t be let go because he can’t be replaced. Although not unrestricted like Suh or even franchised like Miller, Donald’s game gives him all the leverage he needs to reset the market.

Salary Floor: $19 million per season

Miller and Suh’s contracts should serve as the salary floor for Donald’s new deal, with $19 million per as the anchor in negotiations.

Salary Ceiling: $21 million per season

At $21 million per season, Donald would be the 12th-highest paid player in the NFL, behind 11 quarterbacks. On the open market, he would get more, but he’s still at least two seasons away from that.

Contract Projection

Donald will be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player when he signs his next contract. Working up from Suh and Miller, Donald becomes the first defensive player in NFL history to earn $20 million annually.

6 years, $120.0 million, $20 million APY, $60.0 million fully guaranteed