Rams vs Cowboys: 3 questions for Los Angeles heading into first preseason game

3. How will defense look without Aaron Donald?

For Los Angeles Rams fans that have been living under a rock for the last two weeks, the team is still without their defensive superstar, as Aaron Donald continues to holdout with the hope of landing a new contract. While both sides continue to try and reach an agreement, seeing Donald absent this long has been a major concern for the Rams, and it will be interesting to see how Wade Phillips‘ unit looks against the Dallas Cowboys.

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Even if this matchup is only a preseason game, facing a high-powered offense like Dallas will be a good early test for Los Angeles on defense to see where certain players stand. From Dak Prescott to Dez Bryant, the Cowboys are loaded with weapons on offense to cause all sorts of problems for opponents, and if the Rams can figure out a way to contain them in the limited time they’re expected to play, it could make a nice confidence booster moving forward.

Seeing Donald inactive on the current depth chart for Los Angeles is tough to adjust to when looking at the level of impact he’s made in just three NFL seasons. Hopefully, Les Snead and the rest of the organization can figure out a way to reward Donald with the hefty contract he clearly deserves so the defense doesn’t take a step back over these next few weeks while preparing for Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts in September.