It has been two months since former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald first floated the idea of a reunion. Per head coach Sean McVay, that idea was solidifying even before they got the league’s most dangerous defensive weapon: Myles Garrett. Since then, Donald has worked out with the Rams, prompting McVay to call it the “best tryout we’ve ever had” and add, “I think he could make the team.” But the one big question that hasn’t been answered yet: when?

The Green Bay Packers needed a tight end, and with September football almost upon us, they’ve signed veteran TE Jonnu Smith to a one-year deal, per the latest reports. When this move became a topic of discussion on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL Insider Adam Schefter turned the lens on the Rams for comparison.

“These people (Packers) know it’s go time, like two and a half weeks, time to start getting ready,” Schefter said on the show. “Which again makes me wonder what’s going through the mind of Aaron Donald right now as we get closer to the regular season and the Rams kick off their season two weeks from tonight in Australia against the 49ers.

“I would think that he’s probably getting close to making a decision at some point here because either you’re going to do it, or you’re not going to do it. We’re at the point now, like, you’re coming back, or you’re not coming back. Does your body feel like it can handle it? Does your body feel like it can’t handle it? What are we doing here? One way or the other, right?”

When the idea of a reunion was floated after the Myles Garrett acquisition, the Rams felt like a guaranteed Super Bowl competitor if they brought back Donald. But the training camp’s almost done; there’s just one preseason game between the Rams and their international trip, and nothing’s set in stone yet. The teams have to declare their final 53-man roster by 30th August, and Sean McVay is notably moving ahead with two plans in mind – one with Donald, and one without.

“Our thought process has been, ‘Let’s look at a 53 with him and a 53 not including him and what does that look like,” McVay said on Tuesday, August 25th. “Whenever a decision is made, if that is the direction he goes where he wants to play, then we have plans accordingly, and if not, we have plans for those as well.”

What started as excitement has now turned into a stale waiting game. With other teams around the league shoring up their roster gaps, even Adam Schefter is surprised at how things have been going for the Rams. At this point, even if Donald joins tomorrow, he will need a lot of conditioning and practice reps to be ready to suit up on game day. And there are no guarantees that a player – however dominant in the past – can be ready for a regular season opener in less than two weeks with an international trip in the mix. McVay, meanwhile, is still juggling what-ifs.

“If he decides he wants to be able to do it, then the next conversations are, ‘What is your ramp-up?’ What does it look like to approach whenever that would be the first time that we think we make the most sense for him to impact and make a positive change with us?” McVay said. “We’ve had to have a lot of fluidity and flexibility, and that’s what I’ve had to learn over 10 years. But I think what’s good is the thing that has served us well – and it’s really the truth – is it’s just stay one day at a time.”

Even with all this uncertainty, there’s a money aspect to it. Many around the league had floated the idea that Aaron Donald hasn’t made up his mind about unretiring because the Rams aren’t offering him the contract he wants. While his wife has pushed back on this idea on social media, Za’Darius Smith’s unretirement offers a case study exactly like this scenario.

Smith had a chance to sign with the Cleveland Browns this offseason, but walked away from talks after they failed to match the number he wanted. He has since signed with the Atlanta Falcons, choosing to stay closer to home, with a coach he’s already familiar with.

As for Aaron Donald, Adam Schefter had floated the idea that if he really wants to come back, the Rams may not be able to pay him the $30 million he’d be owed if he suits up for them again. But the Rams only have a little south of $15 million in effective cap space right now. Even with roster cuts and cap management, Donald will likely have to take less than he would have had he not retired after 2023.

Whatever the case, there hasn’t been a decision from Aaron Donald yet. Whether the 3x Defensive Player of the Year suits up with his old team or not is something we’ll only find out in the coming weeks – if at all.