THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- So much is different about the Los Angeles Rams these days. They're coming off their first playoff appearance in 13 years, with a star-studded roster that now rivals any in the NFL, and the expectations are greater than they have been in more than a decade. The city is buzzing, the players are excited.
But one key similarity remains: Aaron Donald is absent.
Donald didn't attend the start of the Rams' offseason program on Monday, as was the case last spring. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year is still looking for a new contract, one that would make him one of the game's highest-paid players.