Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald said on Wednesday that he didn’t give a lot of thought to retiring this offseason, but there were plenty of veteran departures from the team as players like Jalen Ramsey, Allen Robinson, Leonard Floyd, and Bobby Wagner moved on to other teams.
That’s created a different look in Los Angeles after years of flipping draft picks for older players that the team used to fuel a run to the Super Bowl LVI title. The Rams drafted 14 players in April and Donald pointed out that the team’s shift means the team will be counting on unproven players for the first time in a long time.
“I can’t control that,” Donald said, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. “Obviously, I made a commitment to this organization and do everything I can to do my part. Obviously, it is different than what we’ve seen in the past few years, but a lot of young guys will have to step up. I have to be a huge part to help us have success. It’s going to be a long journey, but you just got to stay focused on what you need to focus on and just continue to work.”
The team is going to need those new faces to make a quick transition if Donald, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and other remaining vets are going to experience more playoff success during their remaining time with the Rams.