Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay mentioned earlier in the week that he's had "a little bit of dialogue" with defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
McVay's description allowed for optimism something could get done with Donald, who continues to stay away from training camp, but now there is more reason for hope.
"There's been -- let's put it this way, there's increased dialogue," McVay told reporters Saturday, via the Rams' official website. "There's more -- we feel positive about the direction that these things are going."
The 27-year-old Donald, who enters the final year of his rookie deal, has stayed away from activities while seeking a new contract.
During the offseason, the Rams added defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, cornerback Marcus Peters and cornerback Aqib Talib to an already good defense. On paper, the presence of Donald with the three high-profile additions is enough to cause opponents sleepless nights.
The key, however, is for the Rams' front office to come to a solution to get Donald back with the team ahead of the regular season.
"I think there's a level of urgency that's being displayed from us," McVay said. "I know that they know how much we value him and appreciate Aaron. Hopefully, we'll see some things change on that front sooner than later, but it's still kind of in the same boat."
One of the elite defensive players in the league, Donald sat out of training camp in 2017 before reporting on Sept. 9. The missed time, however, didn't stop him from posting 41 tackles (32 solo) and 11 sacks en route to winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
