One of the more interesting parts of Aaron Donald’s lasting legacy with the Los Angeles Rams is how he consistently helped his teammates on the defensive line get paid top dollar on the free agency market. The NFL media has referred to this as the “Aaron Donald effect”, which can be summarized as the star defensive lineman routinely taking on double teams and creating favorable one-on-one opportunities for others to rush the passer.
This list certainly doesn’t capture all the individuals who cashed out after playing next to Donald, but it’s at least a start:
- Dante Fowler, 2020; Atlanta Falcons for three years, $45M
- Samson Ebukam, 2021; San Francisco 49ers for two years, $12M
- Leonard Floyd, 2021; re-signs with Rams for four years, $64M
- Sebastian Joseph-Day, 2022; Los Angeles Chargers for three years, $24M
- Von Miller, 2022; Buffalo Bills for six years, $120M
Jalen Carter is keeping the tradition alive
Rams fans know Philadelphia Eagles interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter well.