The Los Angeles Rams began their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday and they are without two players. Sean McVay shared that Aaron Donald and Alaric Jackson were excused from the beginning of camp due to family reasons that they communicated ahead of time.
Players who skip minicamp could be subject to fines but because they were excused, the Rams presumably won’t levy any penalties against them.
Rams HC Sean McVay said DL Aaron Donald and OL Alaric Jackson both had excused absences from minicamp for family reasons that had been communicated well ahead of time.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) June 13, 2023
It is unknown exactly why Donald and Jackson are absent from the start of minicamp, but there don’t appear to be any concerns for either of them. The hope is that neither of them is dealing with any serious regarding their families.
Donald is entering his 10th season in the NFL and he is still one of the premier defenders, so there’s no rush in getting him back on the practice field. That being said, the All-Pro interior defender could benefit from having time around the young players that are joining the new-look front seven.
Meanwhile, Jackson figures to compete for a starting spot along the offensive line despite Joseph Noteboom returning to practice as he recovers from a torn Achilles. Taking that into account, Jackson likely won’t want to miss much time as he looks to earn a prominent role in the trenches.
While there are sometimes concerns about players missing the beginning of mandatory minicamps, there doesn’t seem to be much concern with Donald or Jackson right now.