Putting Together a Trade Package for Aaron Donald
The Vikings and Rams appear to be heading in different directions. Given the connection between the franchises, the pair makes some sense as a potential trade partner. Is there any chance at all that Aaron Donald could get shipped over to Minnesota?
Truth be told, the chances are remarkably slim, and yet much of the broader happenings around the Rams point to a rebuild and thus (to a certain extent) the possibility of a deal.
Gone are greats like Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, and Bobby Wagner. Last offseason, they lost Von Miller, Andrew Whitworth, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, and Darious Williams. In other words, the Rams are in the middle of yet another major talent exodus.
Ramsey, of course, was traded to Miami for a mere 3rd-round selection, a shockingly low return for perhaps the preeminent CB in the NFL. Furthermore, Allen Robinson has been allowed to search for a new team, meaning LA’s WR2 is similarly in the trade rumors.
A Trade for Aaron Donald
When we survey the whole situation, we come back to the question with a refreshed perspective: maybe an Aaron Donald trade isn’t as unlikely as it initially seems. He’ll easily go down as one of the greatest to ever play football, a player who consistently gave his defense an edge on a week-in, week-out basis. The broader talent on the Rams defense, though, is lacking.
Making a rebuild even more apparent is that they’re currently working with 11 draft picks and positioning themselves for compensatory picks in the future.
Now, part of the challenge rests in determining a fair price for the Hall of Fame DT. After all, players of his calibre seldom get moved. Once we narrow things down to just defensive tackles we have an even trickier task. Perhaps the main reference point comes from back in 2020 when DeForest Buckner went to the 49ers for the 13th pick. Buckner, a sensational player, was younger at the time but not as good as Donald.
So, a 1st-round selection may be too rich for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings. Let’s not forget that Donald will turn 32 at the end of May; he was selected in the same draft class as Anthony Barr.
What about this package instead (read more about MN’s picks on the team website):
- The Vikings Receive: Aaron Donald & the Rams’ 36th selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
- The Rams Receive: The Vikings’ 23rd selection, the Vikings’ 119th selection, and a 2024 2nd-round selection.
In that scenario, LA would recoup some reasonably significant draft capital. They can get into the opening round and then add a 12th selection to their pile in 2022. They also get a 2nd in 2024, a valuable pick for any team in the middle of a rebuild.
Alas, NFL trades can be super unpredictable. It’s a fascinating idea, but would the team’s GMs agree?
Of course, the salary cap would present some challenges, but the Purple & Gold have options. Restructuring Brian O’Neill, extending T.J. Hockenson, and/or trading Za’Darius Smith could all plausibly occur. And that’s not even considering something involving Danielle Hunter, Dalvin Cook, and a variety of other players.
Furthermore, we know that a creative front office can finagle the finances to alleviate pressure in the immediate. Ramsey was scheduled to have a large cap hit in 2023 but Miami reworked the deal, bringing things down to below $3 million on the current season’s cap.
For his career, Aaron Donald has 103 sacks, 160 TFLs, and 237 QB hits. He’s, in a word, remarkable. Adding him to the Brian Flores would instantly make the Vikings one of the NFC’s preeminent contenders in the upcoming season. He has been the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year 3 times.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Spotrac, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
