Aaron Donald's Comeback Splits NFL Scouts On Impact
Aaron Donald has ended a two-year retirement to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams, reinforcing a roster already considered a top Super Bowl contender. The move raises an immediate question: can the 35-year-old defensive tackle still play at the level that earned him three Defensive Player of the Year awards, or has time away from the game changed what he can offer?
Donald last played in 2023, recording eight sacks in 16 games and earning his eighth first-team All-Pro selection. His most recent double-digit sack total came in 2021, when he finished with 12.5. Before stepping away, he had played at least 67% of the Rams' defensive snaps in every season of his career, including 81% in his final year, according to Pro Football Reference. He said he completed 14 weeks of intensive training with personal trainers before deciding he was ready to return. field hockey odds
Scouts contacted about the move offered differing assessments. Some described Donald as capable of resuming a heavy workload once he shakes off early rust, pointing to his conditioning and consistent training regimen during retirement. Others cautioned that age, not just time away, is the bigger obstacle, suggesting he could settle into a reduced role of roughly 35 to 40% of defensive snaps rather than the every-down workload he carried for most of his career. One comparison raised was Von Miller, who played just 37% of Washington's defensive snaps last season at age 36, illustrating how pass rushers' roles often shrink late in their careers.
Donald now joins a Rams defensive front that includes Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who set a league record with 23 sacks last season. Scouts noted that a healthy Donald lining up alongside that level of pass-rush talent could create matchup problems opponents cannot easily neutralize, though several stressed that his health and ability to withstand a full season remain the central uncertainty as the Rams prepare to see how quickly he can be integrated into the rotation.
