Les Snead and Sean McVay said the Rams have been talking to Aaron Donald about a contract extension, even though there are still three years left on his current deal. With Donald considering retirement, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Rams will reward him with a raise to keep him in the mix for 2022 and beyond.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the two sides are working on a deal that “could be done sooner than later.” It could make him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL once again, too, and might be done before the new league year begins on March 16.

Donald and the Rams are working on a new contract that could be done sooner than later. Arguably the game’s best player, he will need to be the game’s highest-paid defensive player, and the Rams know that. There were rumblings around the Super Bowl that he could retire, but an extension seems more likely.

His contract averages $22.5 million per year. Big-time adjustments will be made, possibly before the new league year.

Donald signed a six-year deal worth $135 million in 2018, which runs through 2024. However, with a salary of $22.5 million per year, he’s just the fifth-highest paid defender in football now, behind T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, Myles Garrett and Khlil Mack. Watt is the highest-paid defender at $28 million per year.

His cap hit of $26.75 million in 2022 is high, but with an extension, the Rams could potentially lower it by spreading out money across future years that are added on, so it has a chance to wind up being a win-win.