Who’s hurt more by holdout: the Rams or Aaron Donald?

Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald is at a curious place in his holdout. Ironically, so are the Rams.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald remains away from his team as they ramp up towards their first preseason game on Saturday. A quick glance of the 53 man roster is a glaring reminder of how this season’s fortunes now, and long-term, can change so dramatically. LA is stuck between a rock and a hard place, meaning that regardless of your opinion of this holdout, they seldom end well.

More from Ramblin' Fan

• Ex-Rams Chris Long says Rams could move Aaron Donald this offseason
• What if…? This LA Rams IOL shockingly opts for free agency?
• 5 problems LA Rams must avoid in 2023’s initial roster
• Brock Purdy is perfect example of why Rams should draft Day 3 QB
• LA Rams DC Raheem Morris closing in on this HC job . . .

Dominique Easley, via his injury, has tossed a grenade into the Rams preseason. It also turned up the heat on the Los Angeles brain-trust to resolve, or accelerate a resolution with their signature star. If the point of all this for Donald was to make a point, a valid one no less, it’s now become something different. Aaron holding out with two years to go is different now. The longer it goes, the more damage is done on both sides.

All that said, the Rams haven’t helped themselves.

When looking at the contract the Rrams gave a would be No. 1 receiver in Tavon Austin, who has never really produced like a top level elite receiver, they look a bit wide-eyed as they justify Donald and his remaining contract. That is a valid argument he can make.

It’s also a valid argument the Rams can’t ignore.

You also can’t ignore the idea that General Manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay are hoping against the “worst-case” scenario of this holdout dragging into September not happening.

Equal to that, Aaron Donald hopes for the same?

Fans want him paid.

His teammates want the same.

The Rams know this. And as I wrote last week, don’t think for one moment that the one guy they couldn’t afford to NOT be on the field, holds all the cards.

He holds all of them.

If Los Angeles holds the line as they likely have to because of team economics, this rolls on longer than either side needs.

But when an organization who has regularly “dropped the ball” with one bad decision after another is limited with what they can reasonably do, this is where they end up.

All Donald did was show up on Sunday’s and play.

He’s also outplayed his contract. The Rams know this, and so does Aaron Donald.

Next: Demoff getting it right?

Don’t be surprised if this doesn’t end well for LA.

After the last 10 years, would you expect anything less?