Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is without a doubt one of the best players in the game today. It's also true that he was integral in the Rams' Super Bowl conquest last season.
At this point, however, despite his willingness to commit his future to the Rams, it remains unclear if the eight-time Pro Bowler is going to remain in LA for the long run. Donald has already said that he intends to stay with the Rams until Rams head coach Sean McVay is still sitting at the helm. Be that as it may, the front office is already preparing for any and all eventualities.
If you ask Rams general manager Les Snead, however, the high-ranking team executive is adamant that there's just no replacing Aaron Donald (via the New York Times):
“We’re never having another Aaron Donald, so we shouldn’t look for that,” Snead tells Morgan. “What we should do is figure out other ways to pressure the quarterback. But replacing Aaron Donald? That’s a fruitless call.”
It's not that Snead is being pessimistic here about keeping Donald in the picture. Obviously, this is still the priority for the Rams. However, Snead is merely doing his job in terms of preparing for the possibility of losing their star DT a couple of years down the line. Unfortunately for him, Donald is a type of player that's simply irreplaceable. Snead is well aware of this fact and he's not shy about speaking his mind.
Donald is still under contract with the team until 2023. What happens beyond that is anybody's guess.