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Aaron Donald turned 32 years old less than a month ago, making him the second-oldest player on the Los Angeles Rams (only behind Matthew Stafford). As Donald enters his 10th season in the NFL, The 33rd Team’s Jeff Diamond ranked the All-Pro interior defender as the fourth-best player in the league over 30 years old.
Here is Diamond’s explanation for placing Donald fourth on his list of players that are older than 30:
Aaron Donald probably would lead this list if he weren’t coming off a down season by his high standards, in which he missed six games with an ankle injury. His sack total fell to five after producing double-digit sacks in the previous five seasons (including 20.5 in 2018). With his quickness and strength, Donald is a pass-rushing force and a terrific run defender.
A first-round pick of the Rams in 2013, he is one of the best defensive linemen in NFL history. He’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler. He had two sacks, three QB hits and a game-sealing pressure on Joe Burrow in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory.
For the first time in his career, Donald missed games due to injury in 2022, limiting him to a career-low 11 games. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year tallied career-worst marks in quarterback hits (11), tackles for loss (10), and sacks (5) a season ago.
The three players ranked ahead of Donald are Aaron Rodgers, Trent Williams, and Travis Kelce. So from that point of view, Donald is regarded as Diamond’s best defensive player over 30.
Despite Donald’s numbers from last season, he is still capable of wrecking a game single-handedly in the trenches. Assuming that Donald can remain healthy in 2023, we should expect another All-Pro season from one of the best defensive players in NFL history.
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