Why won’t Sean McVay officially rule out Aaron Donald for rest of season?

The Los Angeles Rams do not expect Aaron Donald to return this season. Does Sean McVay know that he can make that official?

The Rams have been eliminated from the postseason, as we knew before it was official, and Donald has missed the last three games with an ankle injury. The first three missed games of Donald’s career for injury. McVay said that it is unlikely Donald returns this season, which we could have all assumed too, but so far L.A. has not placed AD on IR.

Why not?

Donald has been ruled out for Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos. The Rams then face the L.A. Chargers on New Years Day, followed by the season finale in Seattle against the Seahawks one week later. The games will carry no postseason significance for the Rams, although the Chargers and Seahawks could remain alive for wild card opportunities by those weeks.

What purpose would it serve to have Donald available?

Perhaps Aaron Donald is refusing to rule himself out for the rest of the season because he feels healthy enough to play. Perhaps the Rams just do not need the 53-man roster spot and have decided to hold off on that decision until they know who will take his place. But it sure seems like with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Brian Allen, David Edwards, Joe Noteboom, A’Shawn Robinson, Allen Robinson, and Jordan Fuller among those out for the rest of the year that AD would be added to the list.

That was not the case on Friday. Does AD want to play one more game before the 2023 offseason? We know that McVay said probably not. When does the maybe become a definitely?