LA Rams investment in Aaron Donald was the right move

There is a growing perception among NFL fans that the NFL salary cap is no longer in existence. Well, the truth of it all is simply that the LA Rams have become quite the experts in navigating the salary cap, taking full use of the accounting tricks of the trade to push today’s dollars into tomorrow’s headaches.

The tricks of the trade are pretty impressive but are more of a kick-the-can effort than actually making money appear out of nowhere. Bur our perceptions are focused upon the here and now. So that all translates into the out-of-sight-out-of-mind experience for many. So what do we see for the LA Rams this year?

Well, we have one of the most dominant NFL defensive players to ever play the game on the roster in Aaron Donald. Not only does Donald elevate the performance of the players around him, but he has already put up the type of numbers that has earned his place in the discussion of NFL greats, particularly those whose NFL careers featured slamming quarterbacks to the ground.

2014 NFL Draft

That’s pretty remarkable, particularly in light of the fact that 12 other NFL players were determined in the 2014 NFL Draft to have a greater chance of stardom from that rookie class. WR Odell Beckham Jr. was selected by New York Giants just one spot before the Rams made their second selection of that draft. QB Blake Bortles was chosen third by the Jacksonville Jaguars that year. Cornerback Justin Gilbert was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the eighth overall pick and did not play through his rookie contract.

The intent here is not to toss shade at any player or team. Rather, the belief that the NFL Draft is a surefire way to ‘hit’ on future NFL stars is a bit… unreliable. That is why the St. Louis Rams’ selection of DL Aaron Donald was so special. He was graded as a solid NFL backup. In fact, he was projected as a Day 3, Round 4 to 5 selection. His profile cited not enough power. That’s funny.