Although a sizable chunk of Aaron Donald’s fourth Rams contract is comprised of per-game roster bonuses, the all-time great defensive lineman does not have to play in games to earn them. Donald merely needs to be on the Rams’ 53-man roster to collect $667K per game. That will be expected to continue, despite the Week 4 absence.
No IR move is expected for Donald, whom Sean McVay said is being ramped up for a Week 5 return. Donald practiced in a limited capacity Thursday. Cornerback Jaylen Watson looks to be on the same timetable. Donald missed Week 4 with a back injury, while Watson was down with a shoulder ailment.
Donald signed a one-year, $20MM deal to come out of retirement, and he had shown flashes of his dominant first-stint version upon return. Donald ranked second among interior D-linemen in pass rush win rate (at 33%) through two games, though he does not have enough snaps to qualify as a full-timer yet.
Donald has logged a 54% snap rate. He had played at least 81% of the Rams’ defensive snaps from 2017-23, but considering the future Hall of Famer’s age (35) and his two-year hiatus, a true full-time role was an unrealistic expectation. Though, the Rams figure to increase Donald’s workload as the season progresses — provided he can avoid injury setbacks.
The Eagles faced the Rams without Donald and Myles Garrett in Week 4, though they blew a two-score second-half lead. Part of the reason the Rams were able to take a late lead: Puka Nacua’s return. The All-Pro wide receiver had missed Weeks 2 and 3 with hip and groin injuries, but he was back in Philly and caught nine passes for 125 yards. Nacua mixed in a rushing touchdown to help the visitors’ cause.
Nacua missed a chunk of summer work because of a core injury sustained during a joint practice with the Cowboys, but he was back on the field for Week 1. The contract-year wideout missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a separate midsection issue. McVay has said Nacua is not dealing with a hernia, though Erin Andrews said on FOX (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) the receiver is battling a pre-hernia issue.
This means Nacua is dealing with weakness in the muscle wall that is keeping internal tissue from breaking through. It is not too difficult to foresee hernia surgery in Nacua’s future, but for now, the star pass catcher is playing through injury. This is a rather big season for Nacua, whom the Rams did not extend during the offseason — due in large part to off-field issues that plagued him. The 25-year-old weapon can keep restoring his top-market value with high-end production, but injury concerns could cause another issue en route to a monster payday as well.