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Aaron Donald inks record-setting extension

Matt Hanifan / NFL / June 6, 2022

Aaron Donald inks record-setting extension

Nearly four years after resetting the non-quarterback market, Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald reset it once again.

Donald signed a two-year, $60 million extension Monday afternoon, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter. Donald’s extension rewards him with a $40 million raise through 2024, thus re-making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL History, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapaport.

Rams are giving all-pro DT Aaron Donald a two-year, $60 million extension, per sources.

More details coming…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 6, 2022

Sources: The #Rams have re-worked All-World DT Aaron Donald’s 3 remaining contract years to give him a massive $40M raise through 2024, making him the highest paid non-QB in NFL history at 31 years old. He gets $95M(!) through 2024. pic.twitter.com/SoDRw4GHE4
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 6, 2022

Donald, 31, is set to make $65 million through 2023 and $95 million through 2024 — when his contract was originally set to expire. He already had three years left on his deal prior to the extension.

Details on Rams DT Aaron Donald's revised contract …

• $95 million over the first 3 years (up from $55 million on his old deal).

• $65 million in 2022 and '23, all of which is guaranteed (up from $33.25 million on his old deal).
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 6, 2022

Here is the complete breakdown of his deal, according to Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio:

1. Signing bonus: $25 million.

2. 2022 base salary: $1.5 million, fully guaranteed.

3. 2022 roster bonus: $5 million, fully guaranteed.

4. 2023 roster bonus: $15 million, fully guaranteed and due on second day of 2023 league year.

5. 2023 base salary: $13.5 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed as of third day of 2023 league year.

6. 2024 roster bonus: $5 million, guaranteed for injury at signing. Fully guaranteed on third day of 2023 league year. With no forfeiture language.

7. 2024 base salary: $30 million, fully guaranteed as of the fifth day of the 2024 league year. It would be paid with $20 million as an option bonus and $10 million as base salary, for cap purposes.

Florio notes that the contract includes a pair of voidable seasons, beginning on the final day of the 2024 league year.

Donald is now the only defensive player to surpass $30 million per year, too, per Spotrac. The previous-most was Pittsburgh Steelers’ EDGE T.J. Watt ($28.0M per year).

This is a well-deserved payday for the now-Super Bowl champion, who’s arguably the best player in the sport. The seven-time first-team All-Pro has won four Defensive Player of the Year awards — the last being in 2020 — recording 98.0 career sacks, 150 tackles-for-loss and 441 combined tackles.

He finished 2022 with a career-high 84 combined tackles to go with 12.5 sacks and 19 tackles-for-loss. The former 13th-overall pick has tallied at least 11 sacks in five straight seasons and at least 14 tackles-for-loss every year of his NFL career.