Rams' Aaron Donald Still Top DT Despite 'Slight Decline'?

Los Angeles Rams' defensive tackle Aaron Donald remains one of the most feared players in the NFL.

Tim Kelly | Jul 12, 2023

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Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams' defensive tackle Aaron Donald may no longer be at the height of his powers, but the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is still one of the most feared players in the NFL.

The latest evidence of how well respected the seven-time All-Pro is comes in the form of a poll conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, which gathers the opinions of coaches, scouts and front-office executives to determine the best player at each position. Even as he prepares for his 10th NFL season, Donald was still ranked the top defensive tackle in the sport.

“I would say a slight decline — not much, he’s still the best,” a 'high-ranking NFL scout' said anonymously. “Some of that is a byproduct of what’s around him — neither side of the ball was as good for the Rams last year.”

Now 32, Donald recorded 49 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for a loss, and five sacks in a 2022 campaign where he was limited to just 11 games. Donald was still voted as a Pro Bowler for the ninth time, but just by virtue of missing six games, it was the weakest season of the future Hall of Famer's career.

Just two years after winning the Super Bowl, the Rams are in the midst of a retooling, and feel like a top-heavy team overly reliant on three players 30 years or older in Donald, receiver Cooper Kupp and quarterback Matthew Stafford as they try to bounce back from a disappointing 5-12 season in 2022.

Given that he's flirted with retirement in each of the last two seasons, there seems to be a legitimate possibility that Donald walks away after the 2023 campaign, regardless of how it pants out for the Rams.

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Published Jul 12, 2023

TIM KELLY

Tim Kelly is a contributor to SI's NFL team sites. Additionally, Kelly covers the Philadelphia Phillies as the Editorial Director for PhilliesNation.com. Previously, Kelly has been a producer at SportsRadio 94 WIP and a content producer for Audacy Sports, with written content syndicated to WIP, WFAN, WEEI and some of the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Kelly also has contributed to Bleacher Report, Just Baseball, Sports Talk Philly and Section 215, FanSided's Philadelphia affiliate. Kelly is a 2018 graduate of Bloomsburg University, with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in political science.