5 ways DC Brandon Staley unlocks DT Aaron Donald potential

The LA Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, one of the NFL’s best defenders today. Here are 5 ways new DC Brandon Staley unlocks his potential

When the LA Rams brought new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley aboard, no doubt one of the interview questions touched base with what Staley would do on defense with defensive tackle Aaron Donald.  That should not be surprising, as the  LA Rams have one of the most talented defenders in the game today, and perhaps of this generation, in All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Donald is a no-nonsense blue-collar sort of player who loves the game and exacts the type of production few can ever hope to achieve. He is strong, agile, sharp, fast, and decisive in virtually every move he makes on the football field. Well, I could go on and on about Donald does for the Rams, but what can the Rams do for Aaron Donald?

After all, a guy who routinely scores 90+ on Pro Football Focus for his first six seasons in the NFL seems to need very little. A defensive lineman who records an average of 12.0 sacks, 52 tackles and 19.5 tackles for losses seems to do quite nicely on his own. But that type of production tends to draw the focus of opposing offenses.  In fact, Donald gets more double teams than any other player in the NFL.

But offenses do not stop at two-blockers.  Sometimes they send three blockers at Donald. In fact, I have seen plays where four offensive linemen blocked Donald.  They seem to have the “everyone block Aaron Donald” default settings.