With the Rams over/under for wins set at 6.5 for the 2023 season, the Aaron Donald trade rumors are swirling. Many of the key pieces of the Rams Superbowl run have left. The team is in an awkward spot between contending and a rebuild.
If the Rams want to rebuild successfully, they are going to need cap flexibility and draft picks, both of which they lack. To accomplish this, they are going to need to trade their veteran players away to teams who need them. This is where the Steelers come in.
The Steelers could offer a high round draft pick for Aaron Donald. This would take a lot of money off of the Rams’ books, although they would most likely still pay part of his contract. They could also use the draft pick to kickstart a new era of Rams football.
Aaron Donald may be the single best football player of all time. He has made the pro bowl in every single season of his career. In seven of those nine seasons, he was first team all pro. He is also tied for the all-time lead in defensive player of the year awards with three.
Even though he may have regressed slightly, Donald is still one of the best defensive players in the league. Donald was a pro bowler last year while only playing in 11 games. Many experts such as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believe that his lack of production in 2023 was due more to his surroundings rather than his regression.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have two of the best pass rushers in the league in T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. Adding Aaron Donald to this tandem would create the greatest d-line trio of all time. With players in the supporting cast like Alex Highsmith, Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton, the Steelers defense would be feared league-wide.
Donald has a unique ability to attract double teams. Even more special is his ability to beat these double teams. This graph by Seth Walder really puts into perspective how dominant Donald really is.
While this stat is from Donald’s last fully healthy season in 2021, Donald still ranked among the leaders in these statistics in 2022.
What this really impacts is the surrounding talent. The needed double team on Donald makes it almost impossible to double any other pass rushers. This means that on almost every pass rush snap, both Watt and Heyward would be isolated with one blocker.
If Donald had to choose a place to play, it’s safe to assume that the Steelers would be near the top of his list. Donald was born in the heart of Pittsburgh. He also played his college football in the Steelers stadium at Pitt.
In addition to this, Mike Tomlin has been very outspoken about his appreciation for Donald. He admires his work ethic and the things that Donald does for the city of Pittsburgh
In 2019, Donald founded the AD99 Solutions Foundation. The aim of the organization is optimize the quality of life for Pittsburgh’s underprivileged youth by giving them resources they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. Living in Pittsburgh would afford Donald the opportunity to be closer to the people he touches with his charity.
An Aaron Donald trade would make sense for all parties involved. The Rams would get a much needed kickstart to their inevitable rebuild. The Steelers would immediately become a historical defense and their odds to win a Superbowl would skyrocket. Lastly, Aaron Donald would be back home in the community he loves.
Stay tuned for more exciting NFL content, including roster moves, in depth analysis, and more news from around the league.
Feature image courtesy of Therams.com
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