Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Los Angeles Rams used their No. 13 overall pick on quarterback Ty Simpson, signaling potential changes at the position.
- The selection comes as a surprise given the team’s recent success, the status of Matthew Stafford and the fact that he wasn't projected in the first round.
- This move could have significant implications for the team’s strategy and dynamics in the upcoming seasons.
If you would have told me the Los Angeles Rams had the No. 13 pick and drafted Ty Simpson, I would have immediately assumed Matthew Stafford retired after the 2025 season. I would have been wrong. Matthew Stafford is well and in the know of the Rams’ move to lock in his replacement. It’s a message the Rams don’t realize they sent. They wanted to do right by Stafford by letting him know they were taking Simpson. They also rhetorically told him, you’re on borrowed time.Â
Remember how things went with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers? It was a nasty divorce that probably still curses the Packers to this day. Did the Rams just curse themselves? They’re assuming Stafford was planning on retiring after the 2026 season, hence why a top 15 pick was used on a backup quarterback.Â
Stafford has every right to be mad about not getting real help in a win-now situation. But the Rams felt they didn’t need any other key pieces and could turn to depth. It could end up being an indictment on their upcoming season.Â
Ty Simpson wasn’t a bad pick, it was the wrong one
I don’t fault the Rams for looking for their future quarterback at all. The reality is, though, they could have waited to draft Simpson. Even with the rumors of teams like the New York Jets or Arizona Cardinals trading back into the first round to land Simpson, the 2027 draft class is so deep with quarterbacks that they could have waited a season. There’s no way they were that worried Simpson could fall to them in the second round or trade up high enough in the second round to land him.Â
The Cardinals and Jets are probably going to be bad in 2026 and have a high enough pick to draft their future quarterback in a deep class. They wouldn’t be worried about Simpson enough to draft him in the first round if they can wait until next season. The Rams took a gamble and they have to hope it pays off.Â
Simpson is very inexperienced, only starting 15 games in his college career. Giving him a season to learn behind a Super Bowl champion and NFL MVP is a great move. Stafford may not feel slighted by it, but after the 2026 season if he doesn’t retire, he could be hit with the same fate Kirk Cousins was.Â
Matthew Stafford has every reason to feel betrayed by LA Rams
The Rams didn’t have to draft wide receiver nor did they have to draft offense at all to give Stafford some help. At the end of the day, the Rams didn’t reach the Super Bowl and didn’t even win the NFC West division. They probably should have used that pick to bring in a player that will help achieve one or both of those.Â
Whether Stafford decided 2026 was his final season or not, it would have made more sense to get a game-changer at No. 13 and draft Simpson later. Getting the pick from the Atlanta Falcons was a waste if that’s what their goal was this offseason. They traded away their own first round pick for Trent McDuffie. They went from having prime picks to get two future stars and instead drafted an inexperienced backup quarterback to take over for Stafford.Â
If the Rams win a Super Bowl this year, they have every reason to move on from Stafford because there’s nothing else he can do for them. If the Rams come up short, they have more reason to move on from him because they’ll be focused on rebuilding. It’s a lose-lose for Stafford. The Rams drafting Simpson all but confirms they aren’t preparing for him beyond 2026, whether it’s Stafford’s decision or the team’s.
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