Aaron Donald Watch: Two Los Angeles Rams restructure, suggesting a deal is close

It’s only a matter of when, not if, it seems. In the coming days, as we inch towards kickoff the 2018 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams should be coming to a deal with Aaron Donald, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

And if the wheels didn’t seem to be in motion already, ESPN’s Field Yates reported on Thursday morning that the Rams may have just made a little extra room to squeeze him in:

Source: the Rams have created $7M in 2018 cap space by restructuring the deals of OT Andrew Whitworth & WR Robert Woods. Another suggestion that an Aaron Donald deal may be very close.

It’s probably just as easy for management to go to players and ask them to shuffle around their money in the coming year as it is for the player to agree. But it appears the Rams and two savvy veterans were able to come to an agreement. The terms of the restructure for Whitworth and Woods have yet to be released, but as Yates notes, they’ve freed up $7M in cap space for this year.

Regardless, it appears Whitworth and Woods both see the “big picture,” and are eager to see the reigning Defensive Player of the Year back on the field for Monday night’s season opener against the Oakland Raiders.

Stay tuned.