The Los Angeles Rams have restructured the contract of their star defensive tackle, Aaron Donald, on Friday morning, as reported by Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. This adjustment results in a savings of $9.2 million against the salary cap for the current season.
Previously, Donald carried the highest cap hit on the team, amounting to $34.2 million for the year. With this restructuring, his cap hit for this season will decrease to $24.95 million, but it will subsequently increase to $38.5 million in 2025.
This move holds significant importance for the Rams for two primary reasons. Firstly, it aids in freeing up cap space for the incoming rookie class and potential additional free agent acquisitions. With approximately $19.2 million in available space now, though this figure does not yet account for the contracts of Colby Parkinson, Darious Williams, or Kamren Curl, a substantial portion of this newly freed space is already designated.
Secondly, and perhaps more crucially, this restructuring suggests that Donald is likely to return to the Rams for the 2024 season. Speculation had arisen about Donald’s potential retirement during this offseason, particularly heightened back in February when GM Les Snead expressed hope for Donald’s return but did not entirely rule out the possibility of his retirement.
The Rams have been active in the offseason, re-signing G Kevin Dotson and WR Demarcus Robinson, as well as acquiring G Jonah Jackson, TE Colby Parkinson, CB Darious Williams, and S Kamren Curl. It remains to be seen if the Rams will pursue restructuring contracts for QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp, potentially freeing up an additional $32.3 million.
