The Rams have all the leverage because of the CBA. They can keep him for the next 3 years for about 38Mil. The most they will be responsible for if he gets hurt is for the current year of the contract.

Donald leverage is that he can hold out and lose pay. He can’t go anywhere else or force anything that would pay him more. He can lose a year of eligilbity and the Rams are still in control.

Donald has most of the risk and the Rams have most of the leverage.

There has too be a reasonable dollar number that provides the Rams a couple of more years in exchange for eliminating the Risk that Donald is taking. So you would think the amount that is guaranteed would be very important. I think that for this to make sense for both sides the average salary needs to be 17-18 M with all of it guaranteed. I don’t think he can make more than that if he plays for us the next 3 years and then hits free agency. He would make more 12-15 mil more over the next 3 years which is hard to offset. The salary cap is not likely to go up very much as he NFL has screwed things up with the fans and the rating are way down. That will translate to less dollars not more. Donald is in a position to offset the risk and make more money and I think that is a deal the Rams are offering now. His agent is putting him a risk by not getting a deal done and trying to set a record for pay so he can make a name for himself.

Getting a deal done now is a win win for both sides which is why I think it gets done. I think the agent is looking for the Rams to blink and they are saying you got the risk be reasonable.