Rams believe in Aaron Donald because they've seen this story before

The pure, untainted thrill of Aaron Donald's return was short-lived. Los Angeles Rams fans endured rumors of his imminent return for months; now that it's the new NFL reality, whispers are already growing in volume, questioning whether he has enough in the tank to pull this off.

Skeptics remain. Social media 'experts' are asking how much juice he has left. Many more are thinking those thoughts. But skepticism is something Donald and the Rams know all too well. In fact, it's been the theme of Donald's NFL career.

Respect is earned in the NFL, not given. Donald delayed his decision to unretire until he knew he could meet his own standards of excellence.

Forget what you think you know about the former All-Pro defensive tackle. He doesn't need to reinstate his prime. Donald merely has to be in the right position to make plays to help the Rams win games.

Rams know what Aaron Donald is capable of, and so does he

He overcame size concerns to dominate. Draft analysts were brutally harsh in writing up Donald's profile. Noting his size and weight (just under 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds), they waved off general managers with catch phrases like 'undersized' and 'overpowered'. And yet, Rams GM Les Snead took him with the 13th pick in 2014.

13 appears to be LA's lucky number. It's the same spot Snead chose an Alabama quarterback by the name of Ty Simpson in this year's draft. Few analysts applauded that selection, either.

He has a habit of coming back stronger. Nothing in Donald's past inspires a lack of confidence. He held out in 2017 for financial reasons. The following year, he missed the entire training camp and preseason. Statistically speaking, 2018 was his best. So no, absences from football have never hampered his production. In many ways, he seems to return with newfound vigor.

He has precedents to lean on. In 2021, when LA won the Super Bowl, the Rams brought in iconic edge rusher Von Miller mid-season. And when the secondary struggled with injuries, they welcomed back safety Eric Weddle from a two-year retirement.

Still in his prime, Donald watched Miller and Weddle fulfill limited but specific roles. Neither arrived to lead the charge. And Donald needn't do so this year. He merely needs to show up, lead by example, mentor his teammates, and make plays when they count the most.

How can he do all that after coming back from retirement? Simply stated, because he's seen it before. And Aaron Donald has never done anything half-baked. He's back all the way.

As always, thanks for reading.

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