The Rams have opted to exercise the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s contract, keeping him with the club through the 2018 season.
As of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, NFL teams have the option to add a fifth year to a first-round draft pick’s rookie contract. In a move that’s hardly a surprise, Los Angeles elected to use that tool on its star defensive tackle.
Donald has quickly become one of the league’s elite defenders since being taken No. 13 overall in the 2014 draft. He was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 after setting a franchise rookie record with 9.