Rams’ Aaron Donald is officially done and the troubled defense is officially understaffed

It’s been four months since Aaron Donald announced his retirement but the official transaction wasn’t completed until Friday, when the Rams placed the future Hall of Famer on the NFL’s reserve/retire list.

Although Donald is not on the training field at Loyola Marymount, his influence is felt daily, defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.

“We see it all the time on tape and we talk about it a lot,” Shula said after a race. “But obviously we’re moving forward with the guys we have here and trying to build the best defense we can.”

With an offense that features quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams and an experienced and updated line, the offense is not a question mark for the sheep.

Defense, however, is no longer a known quantity.

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Shula, 38, is in his first season as coordinator after working as a defensive position coach for seven seasons on head coach Sean McVay’s staff.

Shula worked with former Rams coordinators Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris, helping the Rams to five playoff appearances, two Super Bowls and a championship.

McVay promoted Shula after Raheem Morris left to become head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

“You will always put your personality on defense,” Shula said. “Obviously, I can’t be Raheem Morris. I couldn’t even try to be Raheem Morris, I don’t think anyone could.

“But I’m going to try to take aspects of just my past and things I believed in… It’s about the players. It’s about finding out what these guys can do, and what they’re good at, and then molding it into that.”

With less than a week of training camp, Shula and a defense led by linebacker Ernest Jones IV are already being tested.

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Backup cornerback Derion Kendrick suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first day of practice, and starting cornerback Darious Williams suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday.

Williams did not participate in a race on Friday. Shula referred a question about his injury to McVay, who did not speak to reporters Friday but will address the topic Saturday.

Cobie Durant, Tre Tomlinson, Josh Wallace and Charles Woods will get extended reps with starter Tre’Davious White appearing ahead of schedule in his return from Achilles surgery.

Tackle Kobie Turner participated in the play-through on Friday, but the second-year pro has yet to participate in a full workout because of what McVay described as a groin issue.

Turner, who was named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team last season, is considered a player who can lead the line.

“He doesn’t need to replace Aaron Donald,” Shula said. “He doesn’t have to be Aaron Donald. He just needs to be Kobie Turner.”

The Rams are also counting on the rise of young players.

They selected edge rusher Jared’s verse in the first round of the NFL draft and then traded to select tackle Braden FiskeVerse’s teammate at Florida State in the second round.

The two rookies have “a long way to go” and “a lot to clean up,” Shula said. But they are demonstrating the traits that attracted the Rams.

“You see a lot of flashes,” Shula said. “You see the aggression, you see the offensive mentality, you see the style of play they had at Florida State and exactly why we picked them where we picked them.”

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McVay and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur have proven players at almost every position, particularly Stafford.

O Rams avoided a major distraction the day before camp, finally agreeing to adjust the 16th-year pro’s contract.

Stafford looked sharp.

“He looks like No. 9,” LaFleur said. “It looks like he can go as much as he wants. I hope it’s a long time.”

Unlike last year’s training camp, Kupp is firing on all cylinders. After a record-setting rookie season, Nacua knows the ins and outs of the offense. Veteran wide receiver Demarcus Robinson also has a full season of experience in McVay’s scheme.

Williams has sat out almost all offseason practices because of a foot injury, but appears to be at full strength. Rookie running back Blake Corum also impressed.

Steve Avila is making the transition from left guard to center, and tight ends Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Hunter Long are trying to show they can make up for the absence of Tyler Higbee, who is recovering from knee surgery.

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This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.