Aaron Donald taking his time as Rams wait on comeback decision

Aaron Donald is taking his sweet time deciding whether to play football again, and the Rams are determined not to stare too aggressively at the clock.A decision once expected early this week was pushed toward the end of the week.That deadline could slide deeper into August as Donald weighs whether to end his two-year retirement.Sean McVay remains hopeful, but he is refusing to pressure the franchise legend into an answer.“He’s going through his process,” McVay told reporters Tuesday.

“I’m hopeful.I don’t even want to put a timeline on it because what I don’t want to do is rush this.”Donald and the Rams have discussed what his return would look like, but those conversations have not produced a commitment.“There are conversations we’ve had.

Hopefully sooner than later, but there’s no new news,” McVay said.“He is continuing to go through his process.”Donald’s official workout with the Rams made his potential comeback feel increasingly inevitable.

Recently released footage also showed that his famously imposing physique survived retirement.Looking ready during an individual workout, however, is different from deciding to absorb double-teams for another NFL season.Donald has not played since the 2023 campaign.At 35, he must determine whether his body — and competitive appetite — can still meet the standard he established during 10 seasons with Los Angeles.Several Hall of Fame defensive linemen have warned that Donald’s return would not be easy.

Warren Sapp offered a blunt “good luck,” while Bruce Smith noted the difficulty of returning after two full seasons away.Myles Garrett understands those concerns.The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has perhaps more to gain than anyone from Donald’s return, but he is following McVay’s lead and refusing to recruit him aggressively.“I don’t want to push him in one way or another,” Garrett said.

“If he’s here, I’m excited to be his teammate, his partner in crime.I thi...