What's worse than one elite pass rusher elsewhere in the NFC?
Two!
And, that might become reality for the Los Angeles Rams. The NFC West squad just acquired Myles Garrett, delivering a slight blow to the Detroit Lions' chances of being the No. 1 team out the conference headed into the postseason. Following that monster deal, it's now rumored that Aaron Donald might be seeking a return to the NFL, three years after retiring.
ESPN's Adam Schefter discussed the possibility with Ty Schmit, telling Schmit:
“I think when they present a plan to him on how he’d be used… I think it’s more likely than not that he’ll be back.”
Dealing with both Donald and Garrett would be an absolute nightmare for any offensive line, let alone one featuring a brand new center and right tackle in the fold. Penei Sewell, who is now protecting Jared Goff's blindside, could have his hands full if this prophecy comes to life.
Lions could be dealt another blow if Donald un-retires
Donald had been a terror to the rest of the NFC during his time with the league, with multiple multi-sack games against the Lions, specifically.
The pass rusher, of course, would be returning to the NFL after three years off and likely a bit of a re-learning curve with Los Angeles. But, when you have someone like Garrett ready to take a brunt of the work on the edge, it's hard to completely scoff at the opportunity for a second ring with your only team.
It's always hard to say whether a player's familiarity with a system can help them out much, if at all, in these scenarios. We could say the same about a potential reunion with Za'Darius Smith, who was just cut by the Philadelphia Eagles after they signed A.J. Epenesa. Smith knows Dan Campbell and most of the personnel for the Lions, but Kelvin Sheppard was not the defensive coordinator when he was with Detroit in 2024.
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The Rams, similarly, had a plethora of DC's during Donald's time. Gregg Williams, Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley, and Raheem Morris were Donald's coordinators when he was still with the team, with Morris a part of the Rams' Super Bowl championship coaching staff. Now, the Rams have Chris Shula, who has been great for them for the last two seasons - but, Donald never played under him.
It's still a concerning thought to have if you're the Lions, especially since you're hoping to have a far better output from your offensive line in 2026 than you did in 2025. A postseason test against Los Angeles that could potentially feature Donald and Garrett is an unbelievable lift. So, with that, we respectfully ask Donald to please continue to enjoy retirement and your time off.
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