With the Los Angeles Rams quite possibly getting Aaron Donald back, cornerback Trent McDuffie points to one big issue.
The Los Angeles Rams have a very talented roster overall, and specifically looking at the defensive side of the ball, it is very possible that this team could be one of the best defensive units in the entire NFL.
While the defense does already have a variety of elite players, it does appear that Aaron Donald could be set to return very soon after doing a tryout last week with the Rams and posting workout videos on social media that suggest he is ready to get back to NFL football.
Speaking of Donald, cornerback Trent McDuffie recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and talked about a key issue that the Rams could run into if Donald does decide to make his NFL return.
"I even try to think of it, asking Sean McVay and like the offensive perspective and talking to Stafford. I'm like, how are you guys even going to like do your blocking schemes? Like who who are you going to slide to?
"Who are you going to try to double-team? Like, what problems does Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett have on the offense? And they're both just like, we don't even know. Like, it's going to be a problem regardless," McDuffie said.
"I mean, it's a problem with Myles obviously, but you had just another player like Aaron Donald. Yeah, like for me sitting on the back end, I mean, I'm cheesing just thinking about it," McDuffie added.
As McDuffie said, the problem that could arise for the Rams is in practice, where it could become very difficult for the offense to operate effectively with Donald and Myles Garrett being dominant forces on the defensive line. Even though this could be a problem, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford will find a way to work around it, and it should get the offensive line better each day.
On the defensive side, the potential return of Donald could change a variety of things, with the first item being how the snaps on the defensive line get divided up.
It is no secret that the Rams already have a very good defensive line with Garrett in addition to Byron Young, Josiah Stewart, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, and Poona Ford. However, if Donald is in the picture, that will cause someone to lose snaps.
In terms of who could lose snaps, there is no clear answer just yet, but Fiske may be a candidate, as he is one of the younger players up front and had three sacks in 2025 compared to his rookie year when he had 8.5 sacks.
Whether it is Fiske, someone else, or a collection of players, the defensive line rotation is sure to change with Donald in the lineup.
Additionally, Donald's return could also change the scheme a bit in that, by adding another defensive lineman to the rotation, defensive coordinator Chris Shula may be able to play up to five bodies up front to stuff the run and get after the quarterback.
The reason Shula could be confident in playing five defensive linemen is mainly due to the secondary that the Rams have in players like McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Kam Kinchens, Kam Curl, and Quentin Lake.
If the secondary can hold up consistently, that could spell major problems for opposing defenses because, with heavy pressure and tight coverage, this defense could turn out to be one of the best in the NFL.
Heading into the first week of the preseason, Aaron Donald has yet to announce his decision, but when he does, there is no question that he will make a key impact for the Rams' defense and could add even more strength to what already seems to be one of the most talented defensive lines in the entire league.
