As first reported by Field Yates of ESPN, the Rams have used the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
This was a no-brainer move for Donald, who has been considered a viable Defensive Player of the Year candidate in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.
NFL teams have until May 2 to exercise the fifth-year options on players from the 2014 NFL Draft. The option always comes after the third season of a player's rookie contract.
Donald is a terrifying force on the defensive line for the Rams, generating 28 sacks in his first three seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, Donald also produced 22 quarterback hits and 52 quarterback hurries last year alone. He is a menace on the interior.
Back in 2014, Donald fell to the Rams at No. 13, which was their second pick of the first round, largely because people were concerned about how his size would translate to the NFL. Whoops -- Donald's size has been a negligible issue as his first step and power has allowed him to burst through opposing offensive lines. In that same draft, the Rams took lineman Greg Robinson with the No. 2 overall pick.
At No. 13 overall, Donald is one of the biggest steals of the first round, along with Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 12) and Zach Martin (No. 16).
The price tag for Donald makes this a real no-brainer move, as the defensive tackle will cost just $6.9 million for the 2018 season, keeping him under team control for the next two years at bare minimum. That price tag is only slightly up from the $6.7 million it cost to keep a defensive tackle outside of the top 10 last season.
