Is Donald coming back??

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.
In case anyone was wondering if pass rushers at 35+ years old could still have an impact...

Player Age Season Team Sacks
Trace Armstrong 35 2000 MIA 16.5
Reggie White 37 1998 GB 16.0
Chris Doleman 37 1998 SF 15.0
Kevin Greene 36 1998 CAR 15.0
Kevin Greene 37 1999 CAR 12.0
Chris Doleman 36 1997 SF 12.0
John Abraham 35 2013 ARI 11.5
Rickey Jackson 35 1993 NO 11.5
Julius Peppers 37 2017 CAR 11.0
Terrell Suggs 35 2017 BAL 11.0
Reggie White 36 1997 GB 11.0
Chris Doleman 35 1996 SF 11.0
Cameron Jordan 36 2025 NO 10.5
Cameron Wake 35 2017 MIA 10.5
Julius Peppers 35 2015 GB 10.5
Kevin Greene 35 1997 SF 10.5
Steve McMichael 35 1992 CHI 10.5
Bruce Smith 37 2000 WAS 10.0
Bruce Smith 35 1998 BUF 10.0
Ed "Too Tall" Jones 36 1987 DAL 10.0

Come on Aaron!! You know they still can't stop you!!!!
 
  • 3Like
  • 3High Five
  • Thread Winner
Reactions: SlobKnocker, Mackeyser, Badfinger and 5 others
TexasRam said:
In case anyone was wondering if pass rushers at 35+ years old could still have an impact...

Player Age Season Team Sacks
Trace Armstrong 35 2000 MIA 16.5
Reggie White 37 1998 GB 16.0
Chris Doleman 37 1998 SF 15.0
Kevin Greene 36 1998 CAR 15.0
Kevin Greene 37 1999 CAR 12.0
Chris Doleman 36 1997 SF 12.0
John Abraham 35 2013 ARI 11.5
Rickey Jackson 35 1993 NO 11.5
Julius Peppers 37 2017 CAR 11.0
Terrell Suggs 35 2017 BAL 11.0
Reggie White 36 1997 GB 11.0
Chris Doleman 35 1996 SF 11.0
Cameron Jordan 36 2025 NO 10.5
Cameron Wake 35 2017 MIA 10.5
Julius Peppers 35 2015 GB 10.5
Kevin Greene 35 1997 SF 10.5
Steve McMichael 35 1992 CHI 10.5
Bruce Smith 37 2000 WAS 10.0
Bruce Smith 35 1998 BUF 10.0
Ed "Too Tall" Jones 36 1987 DAL 10.0

Come on Aaron!! You know they still can't stop you!!!!
Click to expand...
Those stats, in and of themselves, are enough reason to think AD could make a massive contribution.

But I think the psychological impact it could have for the Rams, and more importantly, opposing offences, is incalculable.

I must admit that if he doesn't come back now, I'll be disappointed, not just because we're not getting one of the greatest players to ever play the game back. Also disappointed with him that he allowed all these rumours to circulate for so long when he could have said he's not coming back.

Even if he's just testing the water, I don't see any harm in him saying, "I'm going to do some work with the team and see if I've still got it. If I believe I have, I'll be back. If I believe I haven't, I won't." No harm, no foul.
 
  • 5Like
  • Thread Winner
Reactions: RamFan58years, RamBall, CGI_Ram and 3 others
TexasRam said:
In case anyone was wondering if pass rushers at 35+ years old could still have an impact...

Player Age Season Team Sacks
Trace Armstrong 35 2000 MIA 16.5
Reggie White 37 1998 GB 16.0
Chris Doleman 37 1998 SF 15.0
Kevin Greene 36 1998 CAR 15.0
Kevin Greene 37 1999 CAR 12.0
Chris Doleman 36 1997 SF 12.0
John Abraham 35 2013 ARI 11.5
Rickey Jackson 35 1993 NO 11.5
Julius Peppers 37 2017 CAR 11.0
Terrell Suggs 35 2017 BAL 11.0
Reggie White 36 1997 GB 11.0
Chris Doleman 35 1996 SF 11.0
Cameron Jordan 36 2025 NO 10.5
Cameron Wake 35 2017 MIA 10.5
Julius Peppers 35 2015 GB 10.5
Kevin Greene 35 1997 SF 10.5
Steve McMichael 35 1992 CHI 10.5
Bruce Smith 37 2000 WAS 10.0
Bruce Smith 35 1998 BUF 10.0
Ed "Too Tall" Jones 36 1987 DAL 10.0

Come on Aaron!! You know they still can't stop you!!!!
Click to expand...
These guys are ENDS (mostly), Donald plays in the middle.

I have no doubt Donald will be great but he plays a different position than this list.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fanotodd and RamFan58years
Coliseum Ram said:
These guys are ENDS (mostly), Donald plays in the middle.

I have no doubt Donald will be great but he plays a different position than this list.
Click to expand...
Yabut consider this killer lineup:
MG - KT - PF - AD - BY
...where do you shade protection?? every offensive play would have to be max protect. They can't run up the middle on PF. They can't run left (MG / KT). They can't run right (AD / BY). I guess you just gotta run shotgun every pass play & get the ball out in under 2.0 seconds flat, and our upgraded secondary will feast on that.
...3rd down pass plays? sub in BF & Josiah for KT & PF... you might as well punt early:
JS - MG - BF - AD - BY
of course all this is predicated on AD's return. It's still a great lineup if he doesn't, but, if he does....
 
  • 3Like
  • High Five
Reactions: SlobKnocker, Mackeyser, Imperial 66 and 1 other person
I'm going to take the logical route with recent footage of AD at Rams facility working out on field. He's obviously thinking about making a comeback. Where there's smoke there's fire generally. Being the kind of guy AD is I'm guessing he doesn't want to just come back for the hell of it. If he does he wants to come back as dominating as he was before. He's not going to do it just for a paycheck. The Rams base a lot of their roster decisions on advanced analytics from video footage and whatnot. I see this as the next step in AD deciding if he wants to give it a go. Come in and let the Rams team watch him go through all the drills, record everything, and then analyze whether or not he still has the agility and speed comparable to when he left.

If AD came in and he's a second slower in all the drills compared to before I'm not sure he would do it. If he can still bend and rip like he used to then there is a chance. Might even be to get a baseline of where he's at now and then come back and see how much he can improve it between now and sometime right before season starts.

Either way, the hope is still alive.
 
  • 5Like
  • High Five
Reactions: DzRams, RamBall, CGI_Ram and 4 others
JonRam99 said:
Yabut consider this killer lineup:
MG - KT - PF - AD - BY
...where do you shade protection?? every offensive play would have to be max protect. They can't run up the middle on PF. They can't run left (MG / KT). They can't run right (AD / BY). I guess you just gotta run shotgun every pass play & get the ball out in under 2.0 seconds flat, and our upgraded secondary will feast on that.
...3rd down pass plays? sub in BF & Josiah for KT & PF... you might as well punt early:
JS - MG - BF - AD - BY
of course all this is predicated on AD's return. It's still a great lineup if he doesn't, but, if he does....
Click to expand...
Your post and my post had nothing to do with each other.

Yes, Donald comes back we are killer, agreed.
 
Coliseum Ram said:
This is not breaking news, we all know he worked out a few days ago. AD will be back soon enough but this video conforms nothing, may have well posted it Friday.
Click to expand...
not why I posted it.
I posted it *ecause I like tapping into the feeling of league wide hopelessness over Rams defensive dominance with AD *eing there with Myles ad our new corners.
 
  • Like
  • Cheers
Reactions: tomas, majrleaged and Coliseum Ram
IMG_8570.webp


Davante’s IG story
 
  • 6Like
  • Shock
  • HaHa
Reactions: Mackeyser, CGI_Ram, PukaStan12 and 8 others
RamFan58years said:
So, if it happens, do you put Donald to the left of Poona, with Garrett at right end, to practically ensure one is single blocked? And how well will Garrett, who's been a RE in a 4-3, adjust to Shula's D? AD has been moved all around the line at times; does Garrett have that flexibility as well? If so, then we're looking at a D giving up 15 pts/game and turning the ball over on downs and TOs. The Rams running backs will get a ton of yards running out games this year. OMG I CAN'T WAIT
Click to expand...
It's mind-boggling to try to figure out what Shula will do with all the talent. We could have a long thread on this topic with a lot of various thoughts.

AD, Garrett, and Turner have played most of their snaps as the 3 technique on the defense's right side. Ford is an early-down NT. Looking at pass rush downs, I imagine Shula is going to move them around to play to their strengths and the offensive player weaknesses. If the defense has a weak RT, you could see Garrett moving to the left side of the line. Garrett and AD have been moved around over their careers. Turner has played in the middle when AD was playing the 3T. Overall, I expect a lot of different fronts for offenses to look at.
 
  • 3Like
  • Cheers
Reactions: RamFan58years, RamFanWA, JonRam99 and 1 other person
Ram65 said:
It's mind-boggling to try to figure out what Shula will do with all the talent. We could have a long thread on this topic with a lot of various thoughts.

AD, Garrett, and Turner have played most of their snaps as the 3 technique on the defense's right side. Ford is an early-down NT. Looking at pass rush downs, I imagine Shula is going to move them around to play to their strengths and the offensive player weaknesses. If the defense has a weak RT, you could see Garrett moving to the left side of the line. Garrett and AD have been moved around over their careers. Turner has played in the middle when AD was playing the 3T. Overall, I expect a lot of different fronts for offenses to look at.
Click to expand...

A lot of thoughts and you didn’t even mention Fiske, BY and Stewart (who I see getting much more PT)

This D can be insane. It could rival the 85 Bears and 2000 Ravens. Especially them playing with the Lead in most games
 
  • Like
  • High Five
  • Cheers
Reactions: RamFan58years, RamBall, Pedro Ram and 2 others
Coliseum Ram said:
Aaahhh. Dec. 15, 1980. 38-14 Monday Night Football blowout at Home against Dallas. 28-0 Halftime. The great Vince Ferragamo leading the way. The 2nd to last game Dallas ever played in their "cursed" Blue Jerseys before finally having enough after losing Champ Game at Philly in them.

This was 1 week after The Monday Night Game when John Lennon was murdered. Good thing it wasn't OUR game.

All in all, great times for this 9th grader, who had plenty of Cowboys fan friends.
Click to expand...
I remember that game vividly, as it was snowing in NJ and we got word that school Tuesday was gonna be cancelled.
So I got to watch the entire game!
 
  • Like
  • Cheers
  • High Five
Reactions: majrleaged, LARAMSinFeb., Faceplant and 1 other person
dieterbrock said:
I remember that game vividly, as it was snowing in NJ and we got word that school Tuesday was gonna be cancelled.
So I got to watch the entire game!
Click to expand...
Wow! You were lucky out in Jersey, 99% sure I had school the next day in Brooklyn.
 
Psycho_X said:
If AD came in and he's a second slower in all the drills compared to before I'm not sure he would do it. If he can still bend and rip like he used to then there is a chance. Might even be to get a baseline of where he's at now and then come back and see how much he can improve it between now and sometime right before season starts.

Either way, the hope is still alive.
Click to expand...
Some of that might've developed over TC and game reps even during his peak.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back