By Earl Heath, Contributing Sports Writer
Ask and you shall receive. Not all of us can do that. If you just won a Super Bowl and your are Aaron Donald one of the most feared players in the NFL it can happen to you.
The Rams defensive tackle agreed to a reworked contract recently that is expected to pay him an average salary of more than $31.6 million per season through 2024, according to a league source. The deal marks the first time in NFL history that a defensive player has broken the $30 million plateau for average salary.
The seven time Al-Pro reworked his contract to the tune of $95 million, which is $40 million more than he was previously scheduled to make. It also includes $65 million in guaranteed money, which outpaces the $63 million the Rams gave quarterback Matt Stafford earlier this offseason. Donald’s guarantees will be paid out in 2022 and 2023. The makes Donald the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL and puts him 12th overall in the league in average salary.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year had his contract reshaped. The Rams won the Super Bowl in February. He entered the summer with his $22.5 million average salary ranked sixth among defensive players. He also had three years remaining on his deal.
The Rams are trying to “Run it back” while the eight-year vet is in his prime. The NFL’s salary landscape changed significantly after Donald signed his last extension in 2018.
Donald’s new deal, following an eight-year start in the league that has seen him make the Pro Bowl every season.
Following the Super Bowl win over the Bengals Donald said he would be comfortable with his career ending this offseason.
He was telling Ram Management “Deal or no Deal”.
