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· collected 2026-09-04 · by Ryan Canfield
Aaron Donald officially made his return to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this week.
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Donald → make → Rams
But how did a team with so many expensive contracts fit Donald under the salary cap?
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team → fit → cap
According to famed sports agent Leigh Steinberg, it's because the Rams do a great job with "caponomics.
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Rams → accord → caponomics
"
The Rams did it by "creating cap room, redoing someone else's contract so that there's less salary involved and by giving that player a bonus," Steinberg told OutKick in a recent interview.
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Steinberg → do → interview
"If a team is creative, they can move other contracts around and create cap space."
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they → move → space
After falling short against their NFC West rival, the Seattle Seahawks, in the NFC Championship Game last season, the Rams went on a spending spree this offseason.
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Rams → fall → spree
They gave MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford a one-year, $55 million contract extension, traded for Kansas City Chiefs star cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed him to a four-year, $124 million contract extension, signed cornerback Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million contract, and acquired Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett before signing him to a five-year, $208 million contract after redoing his deal following the trade.
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They → give → trade
Despite handing out all of those massive deals, the Rams were still able to sign Donald to a one-year, $20 million deal, despite being up against the salary cap.
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Rams → hand → cap
So how, exactly, are the Rams making it work?
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it → make → ?
Exactly as Steinberg said: by being creative.
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Steinberg → say → ?
For Stafford’s deal, the Rams have pushed his contract further into the future, spreading out the cap hit using void years, meaning Stafford’s contract will count against the salary cap in even though he won’t be on the team.
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he → push → team
Stafford’s contract is spread out through the 2031 season.
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contract → spread → season
As for McDuffie, the Rams backloaded his contract.
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Rams → backloade → contract
This season, McDuffie’s cap hit is just $10.8 million, but that rises to $30.8 million next season and will hover around that figure for ensuing three seasons.
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that → rise → seasons
Garrett’s contract is structured similarly to both Stafford’s and McDuffie’s, with a lower cap hit in the first year and larger hits later in the deal while also using void years.
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contract → structure → years
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year’s contract runs through 2030, but his cap hits are spread through 2034.
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hits → reign → 2034
To fit Aaron Donald into their group of superstars, the Rams have pushed a lot of money into the future to make it work in the present.
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it → fit → present
Steinberg thinks the decision to acquire Garrett and bring Donald out of retirement will be well worth it.
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decision → think → retirement
"So let's imagine that you took a team that was already the favorite to win the Super Bowl because of their (trade) of the best defensive player in football, Myles Garrett.
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that → let → football
And you now add to him an unbelievably dominant defensive player in Aaron Donald," Steinberg said.
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Steinberg → add → Donald
"It creates an impregnable line that's impossible to double team.
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that → create → line
The synergistic effect of this is that an opposing offense can't double team both Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett.
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offense → oppose → Donald
So somewhere in there you're going to have this spectacularly dominant player on the loose."
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you → go → loose
Steinberg is also certain that Donald, who made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 seasons in the NFL, would not have returned unless he felt he could play at an elite level.
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he → make → level
"I am sure that Aaron Donald would not have come back except that he thought he could be dominant once again," Steinberg said.
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Steinberg → come → ?
"I'm assuming that time takes its toll.
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time → assume → toll
Being outside of football takes its toll, but it won't take too long for Aaron Donald to be back in form.
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Donald → take → form
No other team has two players like this backed up by another three."
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team → have → three
In addition to having Donald and Garrett, the Rams’ defensive line was already strong with Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Poona Ford.
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line → have → Turner
Steinberg said the Rams’ defensive line could be one of the best of all time, comparing it to the legendary line the Baltimore Colts had in the 1960s.
"
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Colts → say → 1960s
I think the only thing that would be equivalent was the Fearsome Foursome that had Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones and Rosie Greer.
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that → think → Olsen
The Fearsome Foursome is back and as you said, they've got Poona Ford and Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske and Byron Young and they're loaded with gifted players," Steinberg said.
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Steinberg → say → players
"The Rams do a better job of scouting players, drafting players, and then finding that one superstar that can be plugged into an already dominating defense or offense.
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that → do → defense
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A front comparable to the Fearsome Foursome of Olsen, Jones, Greer and Lamar Lundy would give the Rams an excellent chance of getting to the Super Bowl and winning it all.
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front → give → it
Steinberg, who was inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, has had many high-profile clients.
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who → induct → clients
Across football and baseball, Steinberg’s clients include Steve Bartkowski, Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Kordell Stewart, Jeff George, Ben Roethlisberger, Myron Rolle, Matt Leinart, Mark Brunell, Ricky Williams, Howie Long, Eric Karros and Dusty Baker, among others.
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clients → include → others
Steinberg was not surprised that Donald came out of retirement because so many of his clients wanted to as well.
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many → come → clients
"I had 64 first-round draft picks, 12 of the players in the Hall of Fame, and when they retired, they did it with class and dignity.
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they → have → class
But then a couple weeks later, the phone would ring and the player would say, ‘Do you think there's any spot for me?
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you → ring → me
Do you think I can come back?’" Steinberg said.
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Steinberg → think → ?
…and 7 more, not listed.
