The Los Angeles Rams were finally able to make defensive tackle Aaron Donald the highest-paid defensive player in the league this offseason. However, his reign at the top lasted just 24 hours before the Chicago Bears rewarded defensive Khalil Mack with an even richer contract.
Fortunately, there does not seem to be any ill-will toward Mack from Donald. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year said he is just happy to be back, via the team's official Twitter:
Article Continues Below“No, I'm just happy that, you know, my situation got done and that I'm here playing football,” Donald said. “That's all that matters.”
It is easy to see why Donald has no hard feelings about being one-upped by Mack. He made it clear last offseason that he was looking for a lucrative, new contract that would pay him his worth. Although negotiations took a bit longer than fans may have liked, both sides finally agreed to a six-year, $136 million deal with $87 million guaranteed. Donald's deal had set the precedent for the deal Mack would sign with Chicago. As a result, he was rewarded with a six-year, $141 million contract with $90 million guaranteed.
Regardless of how things played out, there is no question that they deserve to be the highest-paid defensive players. When discussing the NFL's premier pass-rushers, Donald and Mack are the first players that come up. However, their reign at the top may be short-lived from a monetary perspective. Premier pass-rushers like Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa and Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney are also in the works of negotiating for a neal deal. It is safe to assume that they will use Donald and Mack's deal as a starting point.