Can the Rams Survive 2024-2025 Without Aaron Donald? NFL Season Preview

if arguably the greatest defensive player ever is no longer a part of this team that's a whole that maybe three players in a history of football can fill none of them are currently in the league and none of them are currently on this roster so the Lost Angeles Rams the actual possible Super Bowl contenders that isn't the obvious from this division in 2023 it was expected to be a very down year for the Rams we didn't know what Stafford's Health was going to look like he was getting older Cooper cup ended up getting hurt again we didn't know who he was going to throw to no one knew who puka Thea was Aaron Donald was on the brink of retirement no boy they shut us up 10 and seven made it into the playoffs a chronically overperforming defense shout out to them and some rookie from BYU of all places a wide receiver with a name that most people can't pronounce it's puga AA by the way stepped up in the place of the former Triple Crown winner and broke the rookie receiving yards record Aaron Donald still looked awesome Matt Stafford same thing and it turns out that Shawn McVey gu is still a really good coach who would have guessed unfortunately their season was ended by America sweetheart the Detroit Lions that overperforming defense lost their General and their Captain with Rahe Morris now the head coach of the Falcons and Aaron Donna retired for now we'll get there shortly but I look at this team for this year and I say depending on how quickly Jared ver and Brenan fist their first and third round draft pick respectively in this past draft can come along and join this defense and be impactful to answer my usual first question for the season between what's more likely for this team a Super Bowl or miss the playoffs I think it's way more likely they make the Super Bowl than miss the playoffs before we get back to that defense I think this offense can be incredible I look at this offense and I see what could possibly be a better version of what they had in that 2018 Super Bowl where they lost my Patriots and now that sham v a little older and a little over himself and Bill bel's not a coach in the league anymore he's not going to get completely pants in the Super Bowl in front of the whole world you have the immersing of Kyon Williams last year and adding Blake korm who I think was a steal of the draft I know we don't value running backs anymore but I think he was awesome at Michigan I think could be awesome again in the league size be damned Lord willing we get a full season of Cooper cup and puga nakua together and as far as we know at the moment Matt Stafford's back looks to be fully intact so we're good on that front as well and to mention they got one of the best head coaches in the league they also made improvements on the offensive line in ways that I appreciate Bringing In Jonah Jackson from the Lions who I guess they liked what they saw in that playoff game so much they were like sure bring him over I guess Aaron Donald that was like his last little recommendation letter he was like Hey that guy that blocked me in my last game for a lot of it hey bring him in you look at the Rams last year and what they did against top rated pass defenses against the Ravens Browns 49ers and Saints ranked 1 through six some in that order in there for their pass defenses the Rams were 3 and one average just under 30 points a game and that one loss was that pun return for a touchdown and overtime so as I'm looking at their schedule they do have some tough defenses uh pass defense they're going to be going against this year as well going against the Jets the 49ers twice obviously the Saints again the Vikings who will Blitz your soul away Dolphins bills Eagles Raiders Patriots bears but they've already shown what they can do and those are based on last year's rankings I don't expect those teams to be as good again this year I really do think there's a world where this Rams offense is setting the world on fire and by week five or six we're looking at them in the 49ers and we're like are the best two teams in the NFC in the same division there's one thing that's getting in the way of that though this Rams defense raises a lot of questions most notably if arguably the greatest defensive player ever Aaron Donald is no longer a part of this team that's a hole that maybe three players in the history of football can fill none of them are currently in the league and none of them are currently on this roster as good as Kobe Turner was last year as good as I believe Jared vers and Brennan fist eventually will be in the league you don't feel the hole of Aaron Donald although I do have a theory that we may be seeing Aaron Donald return at some point this year at the time I'm recording this it is August 20th at about 7:40 p.m. the season ain't for another like 3 weeks so that to me there's a very realistic world where Aaron Donald's on the couch getting antsy and he's like ah I miss throwing 300lb men into other 300lb men I should probably go do that again and I don't doubt that he's in shape to go do it so keep your mind on that but let's move on the assumption that he isn't a lot of what contributed to this overperforming defense last year was Raheem Morris's incredible coaching yes that's why he's now the head coach of the Falcons and if you look at the film you'll see yes Aaron Donald was attracting three sometimes four Defenders against him when it comes to defending him against the pass and even sometimes against the run so that does free up a Kobe Turner to go make some noise and make something happen I don't think it's an unrealistic question to ask if it's one thing if they're missing one of those pieces they're missing both and as much as I think this offense is going to be spectacular going into this year you could only win but so many games 45 to 42 ask Drew Brees in the end of that SS tenure but if this defense can hold it together and at least meet the level they were at the second half of last season I really really in the core of my bones think this team could be special genuinely special [Music]