Rams keep Aaron Donald in Week 1 plans for Australia opener

Roster exemption lasts through the season’s first two weeks

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 41 min read

What happened: Sean McVay expects every Los Angeles player, including Aaron Donald, to travel for Thursday’s opener against San Francisco. Ian Rapoport said Donald’s playing status remains TBD.

Why it matters: The Rams can carry Donald for two weeks without using a spot against the 53-man limit. That flexibility gives Los Angeles time to assess him following his return from retirement.

By the numbers: Donald has not played in two and a half years. His one-year deal is worth $20 million, with playoff incentives that could raise it to $30 million.

What to watch: The Rams must decide whether Donald will dress against San Francisco and what workload he can handle.

Sources

Yahoo NFL 2026-09-04T20:04:58.225552+00:00

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