The Rams have reached decision week on Aaron Donald, but coach Sean McVay still doesn’t know whether the future Hall of Fame defensive tackle will play in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.

But he did confirm the possibility of Donald’s return being on the table. When asked during Friday’s press conference whether all of the players on the active roster would go to Australia, the Rams coach was curt but informative.

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

McVay said the next several days will be critical in determining whether Donald is physically prepared to return to an NFL game after spending two seasons away from football.

The Rams will practice Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before leaving for Melbourne. Kickoff is on Thursday, although Friday morning in Australia. And while McVay said he expects everyone on the roster to make the long trip, that doesn’t mean everyone will be available to play.

“This week will be a big week for him in terms of how he feels,” said McVay. “We’ll just kind of take it a day at a time and see where he’s at.”

If Donald proves he is ready, he will play. If he isn’t, the Rams won’t force the issue merely because the opener is being played on an international stage against a division rival.

“If he feels good enough to go great if not, we got a lot of confidence and the other guys that’ll be ready to set up up,” said McVay.

That sounds simple enough. Determining what “ready” looks like after such a long absence is the complicated part.

Donald has spent the last several months rebuilding his body and preparing for the possibility of returning. Since rejoining the Rams, however, the challenge has shifted from conditioning and strength work to reacclimating himself to the speed, physicality and demands of professional football.

There is no workout capable of completely replicating that.

This week should give McVay, Donald and the Rams’ medical and performance staffs their clearest indication yet of how close Donald is. The Rams can increase his workload, evaluate how his body responds and determine whether he can help them against the 49ers without taking an unnecessary risk.

Even if Donald is cleared to play, it would be unrealistic to expect him to immediately handle his old workload. A limited role of perhaps 20 to 25 snaps could allow the Rams to take advantage of his ability as an interior pass rusher while continuing to build him toward a larger role.

But that conversation only matters if Donald clears the first and most important hurdle.

The Rams were granted a roster exemption for Donald that lasts until Sept. 11, one day after the opener. He is officially under contract but does not currently count against the 53-man roster. If he is going to play in Melbourne, the Rams will have to make a corresponding roster move to create room for him.
McVay isn’t ready to make that call yet.

This will be the biggest and most revealing week of Donald’s comeback attempt. If his body shows he is ready, he will board the plane and play against San Francisco.
If it doesn’t, the Rams will wait.

With Donald, the opener matters. The rest of the season—and potentially the rest of his comeback—matters much more.