The Los Angeles Rams have been careful with Aaron Donald as the franchise legend works his way back after two seasons away from football.
One of the men who had prepared to block him for years doesn’t sound interested in lowering expectations.
San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams offered a vivid description of the challenge Donald presents while speaking ahead of the NFC West rivals’ season opener in Melbourne, Australia.
“Trying to catch a fish in water with your bare hands,” Williams said of blocking Donald, according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “I expect him to be the same 99 that the league grew to fear.”
“I expect him to be the same 99 that the league grew to fear.”
The All-Pro tackle joined San Francisco in 2020, giving him several seasons of firsthand experience with Donald in one of the NFC West’s most physical rivalries.
Even after a two-year layoff, Williams is ready for the version of Donald who dictated protections and wrecked plays for a decade.
Williams Sees No Reason to Discount Donald
Donald, 35, officially came out of retirement on Aug. 30 and returned to the Rams on a one-year, $20 million contract that can reach $30 million with incentives, according to NFL.com.
The question since then has been how quickly the Rams can get him prepped for key snaps.
Donald has been working through a controlled ramp-up after last playing during the 2023 season. He progressed from individual drills into 11-on-11 work, but remained noncommittal when asked about his availability for the opener.
Williams’ comments cut through some of the uncertainty from the opponent’s perspective. San Francisco is preparing as though No. 99 can still be the player who tormented the division before his retirement.
There’s much history behind that concern. Donald has recorded 12.5 sacks in 18 regular-season games against the 49ers, via Reuters. San Francisco even celebrated his initial retirement, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
His final season also demonstrated little evidence that his play had fallen off a cliff. Pro Football Focus gave Donald a 90.8 overall grade in 2023, second among 141 qualifying interior defenders. PFF also credited him with 87 quarterback pressures despite a steady diet of double teams.
Rams Could Get More Than a Ceremonial Comeback
The Rams don’t need Donald to rapidly handle the workload he carried during his first run with the franchise.
Actually, that may be the most dangerous part of his return, knowing that he’ll have fresh legs often.
Plus, Los Angeles added reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in a blockbuster offseason trade, handing defensive coordinator Chris Shula another game-wrecking pass rusher alongside Donald.
For opposing offensive lines, it’s a headache.
Sliding protection toward Garrett can create opportunities inside. Paying extra attention to Donald can give Garrett more favorable looks. The Rams can also keep Donald’s early snap count in check while still using him in obvious passing situations where his explosiveness matters most.
Williams has seen enough of Donald to understand what that could look like. His comparison was playful, but the message behind it was that the 49ers are preparing for the dominant player who wore No. 99 before stepping away.
If Donald can come close to matching the version Williams remembers, the Rams’ already imposing defensive front becomes even harder to solve.
LA Rams’ Aaron Donald Draws ‘Fish’ Analogy From 49ers’ 5-Time All-Pro