Rams Aaron Donald about to remind NFL just how good he is

There are some qualities about LA Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald that are so easily forgotten. For starters, Aaron Donald is one of the most feared defensive players in the NFL today. If you ask any NFL offensive coordinator and quarterback, they will tell you that the first thing they study when facing the LA Rams is Aaron Donald.

The second thing that many forget is that, despite being the most double-teamed player in the NFL, he can still alter the outcomes of games. He has the ability to tackle the ball carrier for a loss. He has the ability to bring down the opposing quarterback in a flash. And he seems to be able to do so regardless of who or how many offensive linemen stand in his way.

The LA Rams may be re-grouping/modeling/stocking/building this season, but there is still the presence of Aaron Donald on the Rams defensive line. And yes, offenses can and will run away from him throughout the game, they cannot run and hide forever. Aaron Donald, like any Apex predator, will get his at some point in the game.

Some have forgotten that.

A quick reminder about Rams Aaron Donald is coming

But don't worry. Even to those who have forgotten just how effective Aaron Donald plays on the defensive line, you have a reprieve. You see, Aaron Donald is happy to remind you just how good he is once more:

We had talked about how LA Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is at the peak of health for the LA Rams this training camp. But the same can be said of Aaron Donald as well. After all, this is the player who competed in the 2021 NFL Playoffs Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers despite playing with torn rib cartilage. He was the player who played 21 games to get the Rams to and through a victory in Super Bowl LVI. And he was the player who was injured after nine games in 2022, and sat out the rest of the season.

And he's back, and he is still the best in the business.

While the remainder of the LA Rams roster may have questions, some things are already taking shape. The LA Rams know that Aaron Donald will start and dominate on the defensive line. The Rams will start inside linebacker Ernest Jones. The Rams will likely start Michael Hoecht at outside linebacker, at least until a teammate proves to be a more capable starter. And the Rams have even settled on DB Cobie Durant as their 'star,' cornerback.

The shape of things to come

This defense is starting to take shape.

But let's pivot back to Aaron Donald for one last point. He is in the best shape of his life, and is the healthiest that he has been for some time. He had to sit on the bench and watch in frustration as his teammates struggled without him. And he smoldered all that time.

There is something fearfully unexpected about to happen this year. Do you recall how the LA Rams 2020 season opened with Aaron Donald destroying the Dallas Cowboys offensive line? I sense a lot of similarities between that season and the 2023 NFL season. Just to be clear, Aaron Donald sacked the quarterback 13.5 times in 16 games in 2020. I could see Donald getting 14+ quarterback sacks this season.

How can I be so sure? Aaron Donald is simply that good. But don't worry. He will remind everyone of that fact this year.