LA Rams ‘juggernaut’ Aaron Donald to take NFL DPOY per NFL’s Burleson

NFL Network’s Nathaniel Burleson sees LA Rams DT Aaron Donald as 2020 NFL DPOY. ‘He’s a juggernaut’

The LA Rams open another NFL season. While the team is not receiving much of a warm reception to the new year, some of the team’s players are still making headlines.  One such player is LA Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.  He is getting accolades this year for good reason. He has been an NFL Pro Bowler in all but one of his NFL seasons. This year, he is arguably in the best shape of his career.

And he’s out to silence the team’s critics.

In the meantime, there are quite a few opinions right now as to who will be NFL stars in 2020. If you ask NFL Network’s Nate Burleson, the answer is an obvious one. LA Rams DT Aaron Donald will be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. If Burleson is correct, it will be the third time Donald will have won that distinguished award.

Magnifying glass effect

The defense of the LA Rams is truly set up to amplify the impact of Donald. In the past, Donald has excelled while fighting off double and triple teams of the offense. Until now, the Rams defense just allowed offenses to gang up on Donald, entrusting him to defeat the offensive strategy, no matter what the offense threw at him.  But there is a new formula this year.

If the offense doubles or triple teams Donald, the Rams can send a delayed blitz right at the gap where Donald’s second or third blockers were responsible for. How long can offenses commit multiple blockers at Donald if the defensive coordinator Brandon Staley makes them pay each time they do?

Donald does DPOY again

Of course, there are other ways too. To double Donald, offenses must first find him. What if the Rams stand him up at either the edge or middle? If the offense cannot find him, they cannot double him.  If the Rams give Donald a head of steam, no offense can block him.

Offenses target Donald each game. Some assign two blockers to him each play. Others use a combination of offensive lineman, running back, and tight end to block him.  Even others simply run away from him. But in the end, Aaron Donald will get his sacks, his tackles, and will change the outcome of many NFL games.  Is that enough for a DPOY recognition?  NFL Network’s Nate Burleson seems to think so. And we think he is 100 percent correct