Sean McVay Optimistic About Long-Term Extension For DT Aaron Donald

Rams HC Sean McVay said Tuesday (per Andrew Siciliano) that he’s optimistic about a getting a long-term extension in place with DT Aaron Donald.

“He’s responding more than he was at this time last year, so that’s what I feel good about,” McVay said of Donald.

Ian Rapoport adds that while there’s “some optimism” about a potential deal, there’s also a ways to go before anything is done.

Last month, Rams GM Les Snead mentioned during an appearance on “The MMQB Podcast with Peter King” that they’re poised to make Donald the highest-paid defender in the NFL.

“The nice thing about Ndamukong, at age 31 and somebody who’s been the highest-paid defensive player in football, winning was very important in this phase of his career,” Snead said, via NFL.com. “He’s well aware that when you can partner, be beside someone who is on the verge of being the highest-paid defensive player in football, then that’s a really good thing. I guess you’d say two is better than one.”

Donald, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Rams back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $10.136 million and set to make a base salary of $1,802,250 for the 2017 season when the Rams picked up his fifth-year team option for the 2018 season.

This will run the Rams around $6.892 million for the 2018 season, but is guaranteed only for injury and won’t prevent them from working on a long-term extension over the next year.

In 2017, Donald appeared in 14 games for the Rams and recorded 41 tackles, 11 sacks, a fumble recovery, five forced fumbles and a pass defense.

We’ll have more regarding an extension between the Rams and Donald as the news is available.