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Rams defense news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Aaron Donald unretires to rejoin the Rams on a one-year, $20 million deal. The move could make the Rams' defense historic for a 2026 Super Bowl run.
Background
The Rams had a good defense in 2025 but collapsed in the second half of the year. This offseason they made aggressive moves to maximize their Super Bowl window in 2026, including trading for Myles Garrett and acquiring cornerback McDuffie. Now Aaron Donald's return adds another elite piece to a defense that already includes young stars like Byron Young and Kamren Kinchens.
How it unfolded
- Thu, 27 Aug 2026Micah Parsons ranks Rams' defense fifth best in the NFL for 2026, citing offseason additions and potential Donald return.
- Thu, 27 Aug 2026Rams dominate Saints 34-0 in preseason as reserves on defense make their cases.
- Sun, 30 Aug 2026NFL Network reports Aaron Donald is unretiring and will play for the Rams on a one-year, $20 million deal.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- With Donald back, the Rams could have a historic defense, according to Yahoo Sports.
- Caution
- The Rams' defense collapsed in the second half of 2025, so the additions need to prove they can hold up.
Still unverified
The report of Aaron Donald's unretirement is from NFL Network; the Rams have not officially confirmed it.