32-year-old Von Miller says he doesn’t feel like he’s 32. 30-year-old Aaron Donald says he feels like he’s 30.
“I’m getting older,” the Rams defensive tackle told reporters on Wednesday. “I feel it. My aches and pains last a little longer, so I definitely feel it.” (Based on the video, it seems he wasn’t being sarcastic about it.)
Rams coach Sean McVay disagrees with Donald’s self-assessment.
“No, I do not,” the Rams coach said when asked whether he sees a difference in Donald at 30. “He looks pretty damn good to me. He has got that same look in his eye. He looks good. He had a good first day. We know that he’s working hard. I think he’s going to pick up right where he left off and what he has done, since I’ve been fortunate enough to be around him, has been pretty spectacular. He is one-of-one.”
Having him around is both a good thing and a bad thing. As Rams G.M. Les Snead said in an appearance on PFT Live during Donald’s annual boycotting of the offseason program while seeking his current contract, Donald is so good that he can easily destroy a walk-through practice, making it harder for the offense to get its reps in.