The Los Angeles Rams have a great opportunity to improve their record, but defeating the Buffalo Bills will not be an easy task. Fortunately for Sean McVay, all signs point to Aaron Donald potentially being available after missing the Week 4 game.
Colby Parkinson and Jaylen Watson are two other names on the list of players expected to take the field at SoFi Stadium. Having all their key pieces available is essential for the Rams to counter Josh Allen and the Bills.
Despite coming out of retirement after a few years away, Donald remains an indispensable pillar of the defense. The No. 99 is slowly regaining the form that made him one of the best players at his position.
Donald has already shown flashes of his former self
After stepping away from the game in March 2024, Aaron Donald shocked the league by officially coming out of retirement in late August 2026 to rejoin the Rams on a one-year deal. Because he missed all of training camp and preseason, Los Angeles has eased him back into the defense with heavy rotational usage rather than his traditional full-game workload.
Aaron Donald of Los Angeles Rams.
Through his limited action in the early part of the 2026 campaign, the iconic defensive tackle has served as a situational pass-rusher and run stopper while slowly building back his game conditioning.
| Metric | Stat line |
| Games played | 2 |
| Total Defensive Snaps | 68 snaps |
| Total Tackles (Solo) | 4 |
| Sacks | 0.0 |
| QB pressures | 3 (1 hit, 2 hurries) |
| Forced Fumbles / Recoveries | 0 / 0 |
Donald’s recent injury concerns
Just as he was starting to build momentum in his 2026 comeback, Aaron Donald hit a quick bump in the road with a lower back injury. After experiencing flare-ups and muscle soreness leading into Week 4, the Rams held him out of practice and ruled him out against the Philadelphia Eagles as a precautionary measure to avoid any long-term setbacks.
The good news for L.A. is that the injury wasn’t severe—he returned to practice as a full participant ahead of Week 5 and expressed confidence about being back on the field.
Key takeaways
- Aaron Donald is expected to be available for the Rams after missing Week 4.
- Aaron Donald came out of retirement in late August 2026 on a one-year deal.
- Aaron Donald missed Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles due to a lower back injury.
