Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald not expected to end holdout despite deadline

The holdout by Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald is not expected to end today, despite a deadline that in his case has no real practical application.

The first game of the NFL season will be played in 30 days. Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, players who do not report 30 days before the start of the season lose the ability to earn an accrued season of service time toward free agency.

For 2014 first-round picks who did not have his fifth-year option exercised by the teams, and for players drafted in the second round or lower, that has meaning because players can hit free agency after four seasons.

But in April, the Rams exercised their fifth-year option on Donald, the 13th player chosen in the 2014 draft.

Donald has already played three seasons, making the Pro Bowl in each one. If he were to sit out the entire season but play next year he would have four years of service time. Of course, the Rams would still have the option of putting the franchise tag on him for each of the next two seasons.

The one risk is that Donald holds out the entire season and then suffers an injury that prevents him from making a roster in 2018.

Donald is scheduled to make about $1.8 million this season and $6.9 million in 2018. He wants a contract that will make him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

“That Aaron situation is something that, like I’ll continue to say, we’re striving to find a solution,” Coach Sean McVay said Monday. “It’s very important to us, but in the meantime guys are getting better and we’ve got to move forward.”

gary.klein@latimes.com

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein