Aaron Donald has had a strong argument that he’s been the best defensive tackle in football pretty much since he arrived in the league in 2014. After four years of dominance in the trenches, the NFL finally crowned him with the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2017 season.
Aaron Donald finally got the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award he’s long deserved
Donald has arguably been the best defensive player in the NFL for years. Now he finally has the award to prove it.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
What may have kept Donald from not winning the award sooner is his position. Warren Sapp was the last defensive tackle to win the award in 1999. Few players at the position rack up big stats, but Donald finished 2017 with 11 sacks and five forced fumbles.
To win the award, he narrowly beat out Jacksonville’s Calais Campbell:
The great season came in what was supposed to be a transition season for Donald. When new head coach Sean McVay hired Wade Phillips to become the Rams’ defensive coordinator, Los Angeles switched to a 3-4 defense.
Donald — who played in a 4-3 defense in his first three seasons — had to get acclimated with this new scheme, and there were concerns about his potential fit as an undersized defensive tackle.
On top of that, Donald missed time in the offseason and all of training camp due to a contract dispute — causing him to sit out against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. He returned to the field in Week 2 against Washington. None of it slowed Donald.
The 26 year old led all defensive tackles in sacks and amassed the second-most forced fumbles in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, Donald finished 2017 with a league-high 99.7 grade and led all defensive players in hurries.
Donald has achieved a lot in his four-year career — earning four Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections. Defensive Player of the Year is his best accolade, though.
Donald will have tons of leverage during contract talks
The Rams exercised the fifth-year option on Donald’s rookie contract, so he’ll make $6.9 million in 2018. But he’s scheduled to hit free agency in 2019. Los Angeles has to pay him. It’s that simple. He commands double teams in the trenches, can stop the run, and get to the quarterback with ease. There is no weakness in his game.
Donald has accumulated 205 tackles, nine forced fumbles, and 39 sacks in his career. He has nothing else to prove to the Rams. Ndamukong Suh and Von Miller are the highest-paid defensive players in league — both earning over $19 million in 2017.
Donald will most likely want a deal that’s similar to those, but he could also ask for a better contract. Either way, Donald deserves to be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player, and if the Rams won’t cut the check, another team will.
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