Los Angeles Rams: 3 reasons not to panic over Aaron Donald skipping OTAs

2. Importance of Donald being around for long run

Isn’t it amazing how quickly expectations can change after just one season? Around this time last year, the Rams were a team looking to adjust to a new system led by Sean McVay after making the former offensive coordinator the youngest head coach in NFL history. However, thanks to Los Angeles emerging out of nowhere to become a serious contender during the 2017 season while going on to win the NFC West title, expectations are at a whole new level for this team.

All of a sudden, Los Angeles is considered one of the early favorites to make a serious run at the Super Bowl, especially when looking at all of the key additions made during the offseason, one of which included the surprise signing of Ndamukong Suh. Just the thought of Suh lining up with Donald on defense will terrify most opponents, and while there’s no way to determine what to expect from Suh beyond 2018, at least the Rams understand the importance of making sure Donald is around.

Obviously, Los Angeles would love to keep Suh around as well if everything works out great during his first season with the Rams, but his presence for the long run isn’t nearly as important as the situation with Donald. Los Angeles has set the bar extremely high for themselves when it comes to being a Super Bowl contender for years to come, but if Donald isn’t part of the picture, it could have a serious impact on the chances of it actually happening.