The Los Angeles Rams' selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was unquestionably the biggest shocker of the first round of the NFL Draft. And then somehow, just a few hours later, the selection itself was dwarfed in the NFL gossip mill and on social media by the introductory press conference.
The outward presentation of that pick to the world, from general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, two of the more accomplished individuals in the entire league, had cell phones buzzing. GMs and coaches and former GMs and former coaches — seemingly anyone who caught the clips that quickly went viral — couldn’t get over what they witnessed.
Snead’s defense of the selection was rather perfunctory and surface level. And McVay, maybe the greatest quarterback guru and offensive mind on the planet, mostly shook his head and seemed more interested in discussing MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford or, gulp, 28-year-old backup Stetson Bennett. It wasn’t just awkward, it veered into theater of the absurd.
What NFL decision-makers were saying behind the scenes
“That looked strange as hell,” commented one longtime NFL personnel executive wondering if I’d seen any of the clips yet. “Sean looked like he didn’t even want to be there.”
“The whole thing was crazy,” one NFL general manager, whose team may come out of this draft with a quarterback, said. “That’s just a crazy pick to me. I respect everything those guys have done out there, but no way am I taking him at 13. At least trade down first. And then seeing that (the press conference), it makes you wonder a little bit about what’s going on there.”
The pick itself (no one saw it coming) and the immediate optics, left a lot to be desired. And, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Rams realize this.
The Rams were trying to thread a very tricky needle
You can construe anything else I report here as damage control, and, well, a part of me would understand. But after speaking to several people with intimate knowledge of what went on here, I believe the pick absolutely was a reach — but one this franchise has the currency and track record to make.
The aftermath was more about trying to thread a needle of deference to Stafford and trying to keep this roster focused on a finite Super Bowl window with him, while acknowledging the potential impact this selection will have on the franchise’s future.
If anything, they lacked the proper tone to convey “how much we love and support Matthew,” as one source put it. “It’s a fine line when you still have the MVP to make sure there isn’t any misunderstanding.” There were some other things going on, unrelated to the selection itself, that didn’t help the framing of the decision.
When McVay spoke about how Simpson will “compete with Stetson Bennett for the No. 2 role,” it was far more likely about putting requisite distance between the newcomer and the starting QB who fought through back issues last year and who delivered the franchise’s lone Lombardi Trophy than actually relegating the 13th overall pick behind an older backup who has yet to prove anything in the NFL. There are mulligans to go around.
With all of that said, given how well the Rams did in hiding any semblance of interest in Ty Simpson, a few more smiles and compliments were in order, even if they didn’t want to openly gush. I’d be shocked if the messaging about Simpson doesn’t become clearer in the coming days and weeks. It kind of has to, now.
Why this only happens if McVay is fully on board
And you could color me among those who wondered if something was fishy here. Could ownership have meddled somehow? That would be the only way a decision of this magnitude could come from above McVay. Given how well this coach and front office have performed, why would that happen?
“Sean runs that whole thing,” said one source with unique knowledge of the Rams structure and inner workings. “He pulls all the triggers, and especially on a quarterback. And a first-round quarterback? Are you kidding me? He runs that thing. Stan Kroenke would want to tell him who the next quarterback should be? That’s just preposterous.”
If Simpson hadn’t already become one of the main characters in the drama that is the NFL Draft, perhaps this wouldn’t have blown up so quickly. And none of this changes the fact that in the weeks leading up the draft, I couldn’t find evaluators I trusted to vouch for this quarterback in the first round, even in a watered-down draft. This is absolutely the biggest risk yet from the gutsy bunch who brough us “F Dem Picks.”
Maybe other teams were in the weeds looking to pounce (I kinda doubt it). The Rams seemingly thought so.
This league certainly works in mysterious ways. And you are naïve to think owners don’t get involved, especially in the highest-reaches of the draft and especially for skill players and most especially for quarterbacks. They meddle and they taint and they spoil cogent draft plans, which is part of the reason why some teams stay so bad for so long.
But this has become a model franchise, with top decision-makers of the highest caliber and a proven track record in the draft and asset management. McVay is on a path to Canton. He has as much juice as any coach in the game. And I believe he is on board with this selection, or it never goes down this way. Even if he appeared openly irked about it.
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