What Aaron Donald’s Contract Extension Means for Khalil Mack, Raiders

Aaron Donald’s contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams was not only huge for him, but it also has a big impact on Oakland Raiders star Khalil Mack. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter first revealed, the Rams and Donald agreed to terms on a record-breaking contract extension.

The extension results in Donald’s annual salary being $22.5 million, and his $87.5 million guaranteed is $17.5 million more than what Denver Broncos star Von Miller previously received. As NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport broke down, Donald’s extension in total is worth $141 million over seven years (over $20.14 million per year).

It’s tough to gauge what direction Mack’s holdout with the Raiders will turn now, but one thing that seems certain is that he won’t take a contract worth less than Donald’s. In turn, this makes Mack’s holdout even more brutal to figure out, as the Raiders seemed uninterested in forking over less money than this.

The Rams’ deal with their defensive star has also reset the market, and as NFL analyst Michael Lombardi previously revealed, Mack was seeking around $22 million per year.

Now, the Raiders’ young star almost certainly just increased his asking price.

But it’s not quite as simple as giving Mack an annual salary that’s equal to, or larger than Donald’s. The $87.5 million Donald received is more than $17 million more than Raiders quarterback Derek Carr received ($70.2 million) on his contract extension, per Spotrac. Could Oakland justify giving Mack that much more in guaranteed money than the team’s franchise quarterback?

Time will tell, but Donald’s deal bodes incredibly well for Mack’s side of negotiations, and in turn, hurts the Raiders.

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