Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford enters 2026 having just turned 38. He was set to have a base salary of $16 million, with a $12 million signing bonus. Stafford was never going anywhere with a dead cap hit north of $81 million. National reporters confirmed that Stafford, who is about to play his 18th season in the NFL, said the Rams gave him a one-year extension with $55 million in new money. Now, Stafford’s contract is good through the 2027 season, and he can earn up to $105 million remaining on his deal. Stafford has battled several injuries during the past few seasons, but he’s only missed four games in the past three seasons. Stafford has been among the most valuable players in the NFL in recent seasons. You could make a strong case for him being the best in the game last year. He threw for 46 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. The Rams’ hesitation to pay him was puzzling, even as he approaches 40. Then, once the Rams drafted a quarterback in the first round with only one season of starting experience, Los Angeles was mocked by most draft pundits. Now, Ty Simpson will have to wait two years before he steps onto the field. The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have seen enough of Stafford. According to Sports Info Solutions, three of Stafford’s best games last season were against his divisional foes. For what it’s worth, the top two were against the Niners
The Rams were close to acquiring A.J. Brown from the Eagles earlier this offseason, and a blockbuster trade could still happen after June 1st. Eagles' cap constraints before June 1st prevented the deal, but waiting allows them to spread the $43 million cap hit over two years. The Rams, looking to maximize Matthew Stafford's remaining years and address receiver depth issues behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, remain interested in Brown
Sean McVay acknowledged that drafting Ty Simpson was not an easy decision, but that as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams it’s important to balance moves that will be better both for the short-term and the long-term. In an interview with the podcast Bussin’ with the Boys on Tuesday, McVay told hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan that he had a conversation with Matthew Stafford before drafting Simpson that “wasn’t exactly agreed upon” but that the reigning MVP understood where the franchise was coming from in terms of his timeline and needing a backup plan in case he retires next year. Based on how McVay tells the story of drafting the Alabama quarterback and the fallout after the fact by fans and media members skeptical of making a long-term move while Stafford is in a Super Bowl window right now, the Rams became comfortable with Simpson’s lack of experience based on the film and some of the maturity he showed as a leader by waiting for his turn instead of transferring and accepting responsibility for mistakes instead of blaming others. “I like that it wasn’t easy. I like that he had to wait at Alabama,” said McVay. “And the easy thing, especially nowadays, would’ve been able to run away (in the transfer portal). I like that they lose to Florida State and the sky is falling and they find a way to kinda have some resolve and they get into the SEC Championship and there’s a lot of good things in the midst of it. I like the way that he responded when guys would drop balls and he didn’t flinch. Or guys would give up a free runner and he didn’t say a word except, “Where can I be better?” Those were the things that the tape communicated to me.“ The Rams head coach also got into the “special” relationship he has with Stafford, how close the Rams were to putting him on injured reserve with a back injury last year (“We were nervous as hell”), and gave a hint that the quarterback does not agree with the team’s decision to draft a quarterback. But that it’s not going to stop him from trying to win a new Super Bowl for L.A., and in L.A., next season. Here’s more of what McVay had to say about Simpson and Stafford: “We have to plan for the short and the long term and what does that look like? Let’s go it right now but let’s also be able to sustain over a long period of time. We’ve got the reigning MVP of the league. (Stafford) is like a fine wine, he’s getting better with age. My relationship with him is special. There’s a connection. I think our personalities really balance each other out. It’s a really cool thing that we have and I don’t take that for granted. But he’s earned the right to walk away whenever he wants to. Going into year 18, we have to be mindful that we’re so lucky to have him be doing his thing. But if he said at the end of next year that it’s it for him, he’s earned the right to do that.” It’s interesting to think about how close the 49ers were trading for Stafford instead of the Rams in 2021, and how different the last five years would have gone if that happened. McVay’s ability to connect with Stafford as someone slightly younger than Kyle Shanahan (Stafford is 38, McVay is 40, and Shanahan is 46) could help the two have a smoother relationship than most HC-QB combos. On Simpson, McVay explained why the small sample size wasn’t too big of a concern. “If there’s an opportunity to get someone at 13 to upgrade his team. We addressed some needs in free agency … You got a lot of continuity from last year but you’re saying ‘Okay, there’s some really good players at 13, but you also say that there’s a guy that based on the film, you project this guy to potentially be a starting caliber quarterback. You like the body of work because of the way that (Simpson) played the position. Is it a short sample size? Yeah, it is. But it’s easier to evaluate that short sample size because it’s easier to evaluate because you’re evaluating all parts of, in the drop-back pass game, the 3-step, the 5-step, the 7-step; the way the fie
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When the Los Angeles Rams begin OTAs next week on May 26 , the player with the most to gain is also one of the biggest stars in the NFL. Puka Nacua can prove he’s back on the right track after checking in and out of rehab , setting himself up for a record-breaking payday extension before Week 1 if everything goes according to plan. But Nacua isn’t the only Rams player who with something major at stake this offseason and most of them are much less proven as far less established. Who else has the most to gain? Just by keeping his name in the headlines for football reasons only, Nacua separates himself from all the ugly headlines of the past . He is the face of the franchise and all fans want from him moving forward is stories about how much he’s killing it in practice. If he does that, Nacua could set a new record for receiver salary, upwards of $45 million per season. Although he is not going to start this season, and potentially won’t get a shot for several years to come if Matthew Stafford does not retire after 2026 , Simpson is the most hyped Rams rookie since Jared Goff simply because he’s a quarterback. More eyes will be on Simpson this offseason than Stafford, mostly because Stafford does not figure to practice very often and the rookie will be out there everyday. A good offseason for Simpson and fans will be very hyped for the future of the position. Any reports that Simpson is a long ways away from being ready and fans will be even more skeptical of the decision than they already were . Many fans dismissed Ferguson’s lack of opportunities in 2025 as just “Sean McVay being Sean McVay” when it comes to rookies and playing time. However, Ferguson only caught 44% of his targets in the regular season and only caught 1-of-6 in the playoffs. He wasn’t just blocked on the depth chart, Ferguson also failed to capitalize on his opportunities. Then the Rams drafted Max Klare in the second round of the 2026 draft, another tight end. Ferguson must reaffirm that he is the next in line behind Tyler Higbee or risk going the way of the Tutu. Thoughts of Stewart being the next Byron Young seem premature. The Rams may not be able to afford to keep Young after this season, so it is important that an edge rusher steps up and this offseason is the time to do it for Stewart or he risks being a quickly-forgotten rotational piece. At first he was considered one of the more exciting gets of the 2025 draft, a fourth round running back who could challenge Blake Corum for playing time. Instead, Hunter was a healthy scratch almost every week and got 0 offensive snaps over the entire season. Is there a future for Hunter with the Rams? He’s good. Now can he be great? His accolades are impressive: Defensive Rookie of the Year and two Pro Bowls in two years. But for Verse to join the ranks of the league’s top pass rushers, he’s going to need more than 7 sacks. That’s just a fact. At 25-years-old, Verse is at the point of his football career where he can’t make excuses for not finishing off his pressures into sacks. The development is done. Now is the time to move up a level because the Rams shouldn’t pay him $40 million or more per season on an extension if they’re only expecting 6-8 sacks. Verse’s teammate at Florida State and then drafted by L.A. shortly after him, in some ways Fiske was the better rookie. He was also the most forgotten second-year player on the Rams defensive line, totaling just 3 sacks and seeing his playing time decrease from 59% of snaps to only 48% of snaps. That’s the wrong direction. It’s not enough to open up chances for teammates, Fiske must be the one who is making the play sometimes. The offseason is a good time for him to prove that he deserves more playing time next season and that he will go back to the 10 sacks per season that he’s capable of. Same as Ferguson, McClendon must be a little worried that the Rams are already looking for his replacement. Third round pick Keagen Trost might not take over at right t
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Draftniks discussed Simpson's rising stock ad nauseam this spring, to the point that it wasn't actually too much of a surprise when he went in the first half of the first round (13th overall). The unexpected part is taking on an apprenticeship under reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, rather than joining a QB-needy team like the Browns or Cardinals. For redraft fantasy leagues, Simpson won't even show up on most cheatsheets or rankings unless Stafford's troublesome back flares up again this summer. It's a much different story for dynasty, especially in superflex or two-QB leagues, where Simpson shapes up as the ultimate high-ceiling, low-floor pick -- one with added appeal to rebuilding teams. He was a five-star recruit who rode pine at Alabama for three years, before finally starting 15 games in 2025 and throwing for 3,567 yards (64.5% completion rate, 7.5 YPA) with 28 TDs and five INTs. Simpson doesn't have great arm strength and isn't fast enough or big enough (6-foot-1, 211) to be a true dual threat in the NFL, but he's a confident scrambler who ran for 282 yards and two TDs last year (not counting sack yardage). The oft-cited Brock Purdy comp is reasonable, and it even extends to the favorable environment for fantasy production, assuming head coach Sean McVay and WR Puka Nacua are still in Los Angeles whenever Simpson gets his chance to start. That's all promising, and it's always a good sign when a successful franchise drafts you early, but even Simpson's supporters sometimes acknowledge that he wouldn't have been top-20 material in a better draft class. He's also old for a rookie, turning 24 in December, which means he could realistically approach his 25th or 26th birthday with fewer than 1,500 combined college/NFL snaps to his name
As OTAs advance, reports from many football pundits have rated the Los Angeles Rams as having one the NFL’s best overall rosters for the 2026 season. L.A. did do a good job of plugging holes in free agency and while the draft didn’t go the route many felt it should, all five draftees have the upside to be contributors with seasoning. General Manager Les Snead may not yet be done, with $25.7mil spending cash in his pocket. Since the union of Snead and Head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have consistently put together top-tier rosters and coached them up to a nine-year, regular season record of 92-52. That’s a 64 percent win rate, solidified by seven trips to the post season and two Super Bowl berths. With 87 players currently under contract for OTAs, here’s a review of the 2026 roster’s lineage and their draft pedigree. First for context, how they all got to L.A.: 77% of Rams are home-grown 3.5% arrived via trade 11.5% signed in preseason free agency 5.5% picked up as in-season free agents 3.5% were waiver claims/poaches And their draft pedigree: 11.5% drafted early in Rounds 1 and 2 22% taken in the mid rounds, 3, 4, and 5 17% selected late, Rounds 6 and 7 49.5% signed as undrafted free agents Players with eight or more starts last season in bold. If the Rams did not draft a player, his original team is in parentheses. QB Matthew Stafford ( Detroit Lions ) , CB Trent McDuffie ( Kansas City Chiefs ) , CB Emmanuel Forbes ( Washington Commanders ) , E Jared Verse , QB Ty Simpson WR Davante Adams ( Green Bay Packers ) , G Steve Avila , DT Braden Fiske , TE Terrance Ferguson , TE Max Klare E Byron Young , DT Kobie Turner , RB Blake Corum , S Kamren Kinchens , E Josiah Stewart, T/G Keegan Trost TE Tyler Higbee , G Kevin Dotson ( Pittsburgh Steelers ) , TE Colby Parkinson ( Seattle Seahawks ) , QB Stetson Bennett , RB Jarquez Hunter, WR Tyler Scott ( Chicago Bears ) LS Joe Cardona ( New England Patriots ) , DT Larell Murchison ( Tennessee Titans ), RB Kyren Williams , T Warren McClendon, TE Davis Allen, WR Puka Nacua , DT Ty Hamilton T David Quessenberry ( Houston Texans ), S Quentin Lake , C Dylan McMahon ( Philadelphia Eagles ), DT Tyler Davis , WR Jordan Whittington , C/G Beaux Limmer , WR CJ Daniels S Kamren Curl (Washington Commanders) , Jaylen Watson (Kansas City Chiefs) , T AJ Arcuri , ILB Grant Stuard ( Tampa Bay Buccaneers ), P Ethan Evans, E Desjuan Johnson, WR Konata Mumpfield , DT Tim Keenan T Alaric Jackson , E Keir Thomas, WR Xavier Smith , G Justin Dedich , S Tanner Ingle, CB Cam Lampkin , S Jaylen McCollough, ILB Elias Neal , ILB Omar Speights , S/CB Josh Wallace , G Wyatt Bowles, ILB Shaun Dolac , WR Tru Edwards , DT Bill Norton, WR Brennan Presley , TE Mark Redman, S Nate Valcarcel, RB Jordan Waters, WR Mario Williams S Nick Anderson, E Wesley Bailey, C/G Austin Blaaske. QB Matthew Caldwell, RB Dean Conners, CB Nyzier Fourqurean, CB Al’zillion Hamilton, T Bryce Henderson, ILB Nikhai Hill-Green, TE Rohan Jones, C Chad Lindberg, DT Jalen Logan-Redding, DT Jaxson Moi, CB Drey Norwood, E Darryl Peterson, TE Dan Villari, E Eddie Walls, Payton Zdroik C Coleman Shelton ( San Francisco 49ers ) ,` DT Poona Ford (Seattle Seahawk) , RB Ronnie Rivers ( Arizona Cardinals ), Nate Landman ( Atlanta Falcons ), Harrison Meevis ( Carolina Panthers ) , CB Alex Johnson ( New York Giants ) By trade CB Trent McDuffie from Kansas City 2026, G Kevin Dotson from Pittsburgh 2023, Matthew Stafford from Detroit 2021 Preseason free agents Jaylen Watson 2026, Grant Stuard 2026, Joe Cardona 2026, Poona Ford 2025, Coleman Shelton 2025 (2nd time), Davante Adams 2025, Nate Landman 2025, David Quessenberry 2025, Kamren Curl 2024, Colby Parkinson 2024 In season free agents Harrison Meevis 2025, Tyler Scott 2025, Alex Johnson 2025, Coleman Shelton 2019 (1st time), Ronnie Rivers 2022 Waiver claim or poach Dylan McMahon 2024, Emmanuel Forbes 2024, Larrell Muchison 2022 While there is no official reporting, the way the Rams navi
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The Rams have significantly improved their defense in the 2026 offseason, acquiring Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson while losing Cobie Durant and Ahkello Witherspoon. This raises questions about whether their offense, despite top-tier talent, has sufficient depth to support veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, especially considering his age and injury history. The team's investment in tight ends over a third receiver and the offensive line's depth are also points of concern
Rematches, reunions and rivalries. The three R’s often create the juiciest games of the NFL regular season — no matter how much promotion goes into the games on the primetime and international schedules. Here are 12 games (excluding those featuring the Giants and Jets) to mark on your must-see calendars: It is the fourth straight regular season with a Super Bowl rematch and the champions are 2-1 over the last three. Advantage Seahawks, whose “Dark Side” defense forced MVP runner-up Drake Maye into three turnovers in February. Kicker Jason Myers is back after scoring a Super Bowl-record 17 points . What does one of the NFL’s best rivalries look like in the post-Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh era? Those two head coaches went head to head 44 times (including playoffs) from 2008-25. Will this game still be about smash-mouth runs and big hits under Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy and Harbaugh protégé Jesse Minter? Josh Allen has a new home stadium , but here he returns to the site of his most recent playoff heartbreak, where he committed four turnovers in a divisional-round loss. A controversial call sullied the ending. On the other side, Bo Nix will face the Bills defense for the first time since he broke his ankle in that same playoff game. The two early favorites to win the Super Bowl played three classic games (decided by a total of seven points) last season, including two decided on the final play and the NFC Championship game when time ran out before a Hail Mary attempt. Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford has rookie quarterback Ty Simpson nipping at his heels now. Unlike Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen, Mahomes-Joe Burrow isn’t a yearly treat. And Burrow is 3-2 against Mahomes (2-1 in the regular season). The Bengals made a Super Bowl-or-bust trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence . Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, but his timeline to return from injury — another ‘R’ word — is said to be on track for Week 1. It took just one season as Bears head coach for Ben Johnson to steal the NFC North title and send his former team spiraling from Super Bowl hopeful to missing the playoffs without him. Is new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing the one to restore the Lions offense to what it was when Johnson was calling plays? The new-look Dolphins were assembled from the Packers mold this offseason. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was hired away from Green Bay … then he hired Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach … and together they signed Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to be their starter. The battle for Texas should pit one of the NFL’s best offenses (Cowboys ranked No. 2 in yards per game last season) against one of the NFL’s best defenses (Texans ranked No. 1 in yards per game allowed last season). Derek Stingley Jr. covering either CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens is must-see theater. Maybe the Bills’ new home will exorcise the ghosts of their annual playoff losses to the Chiefs. Beginning on Thanksgiving Eve, the NFL has a whopper of a quadruple-header capped by this showdown — arguably the NFL’s best non-divisional rivalry right now. Allen has won five straight against Mahomes in the regular season but lost four straight in the playoffs. Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak won Super Bowls as head coach and offensive coordinator of the Broncos. Now their sons, Kyle Shanahan (49ers) and Klint Kubiak (Raiders), face off as NFL head coaches for the first time. It’s a great chance to see No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in what used to be the “Battle of the Bay” before the Raiders moved. A few months after the Jaguars hired Liam Coen over Robert Saleh, Coen and Saleh were screaming at each other on the field because Saleh angered Coen by talking about his “advanced signal-stealing” system. The two claim they have buried the hatchet since September. But this will be the first of now two annual matchups. Not only is fiery Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni facing his former team, he is going head to head with o
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The NFL will continue its tradition of playing a game on Black Friday for the fourth consecutive season, offering an additional standalone game following the Thanksgiving Day triple-header. This year, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Denver Broncos. The article also lists several potential draft picks for various teams, including QB Fernando Mendoza for the Las Vegas Raiders and OLB/DE David Bailey for the New York Jets
Fit often matters as much as talent to success in the NFL . That's especially true for rookies, as it's the shortest offseason they'll ever have at any level of football to get up to speed. Landing in a spot that gives them a clear path to the field and plays to their strengths is a big factor in their immediate impact. The All-Rookie team isn't a formal award like All-Pros or Pro Bowlers. The PFWA has done its own since 1974, but its positional designations are incredibly dated, with two running backs and three linebackers included. Let's use modern positional designations and predict who will have the most productive seasons among this year's rookie class based on their talent, NFL readiness and opportunity to produce. This is the easiest one on the entire list. Fernando Mendoza could easily be the only rookie quarterback who starts this season. The 13th overall pick, Ty Simpson, will only play for the Rams if Matthew Stafford goes down, and third-rounders Carson Beck and Drew Allar were third-rounders for a reason. If Mendoza doesn't start Week 1, he should by Week 5 at the latest, and he'll have one of the best play-callers in the NFL in Klint Kubiak. It's either Jeremiyah Love or his former Notre Dame teammate Jadarian Price here. Anyone else would be a long shot in a historically weak running back class with only one other top-100 pick (Kaelon Black), and he backs up Christian McCaffrey. Love lands with coach Mike LaFleur, who, as offensive coordinator for the Jets , had Breece Hall averaging 5.8 yards per carry as a rookie before tearing his ACL midseason. Carnell Tate is an obvious selection. He walks into a spot where he's the unquestioned No. 1 receiver option for Cam Ward, filling the role the Titans missed dearly last year. KC Concepcion is a little less obvious, as he doesn't exactly have a high-volume passing offense to put up big numbers. What he does have, however, is a clear-cut path to targets and an NFL-ready game. Concepcion finished as the No. 1 wide receiver on my draft board because of his ability to separate against man coverage, which should translate immediately in the NFL. Antonio Williams is one of the most experienced slot receivers in the draft class, with nearly 1,000 routes run from that spot in his collegiate career. He'll fit seamlessly into the Commanders ' offense, which lost leading receiver Deebo Samuel, who operated primarily from the slot. Williams has an obvious path to a hefty target load with Jayden Daniels hopefully healthy all season. There wasn't a clean landing spot for any of the top tight ends this year. None of the nine taken in the top 100 went to a team where they'll be the unquestioned No. 1 at the position. Kenyon Sadiq , at minimum, will garner schemed targets because of his ability after the catch. He should easily usurp last year's second-rounder, Mason Taylor, for targets in the Jets' offense. Spencer Fano had the cleanest tape of any offensive lineman in the draft and will be the clear-cut starter at left tackle for the Browns next season. Blake Miller is the only other tackle in the draft with no roadblocks to a starting role, so he's the choice here by default. Monroe Freeling, Max Iheanachor and Caleb Lomu all look destined to take redshirt years with the Panthers , Steelers and Patriots, respectively. There were three top-15 picks who will start at guard as rookies, meaning Francis Mauigoa is the odd man out here. I believe Olaivavega Ioane's experience at guard will make his transition easier, while Kadyn Proctor's biggest weakness -- his foot speed -- gets mitigated by moving inside. While Keylan Rutledge technically never played center in 3,019 career snaps in college, this looks like his most likely position based on the contracts Houston gave out this offseason. As the second-ranked true interior offensive lineman on my board, Rutledge playing a new position shouldn't worry Texans fans much. The common thread here is their work in the run game, wh
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The Rams have signed offensive lineman Keagen Trost and wide receiver CJ Daniels, both draft picks. Three other draft picks, including quarterback Ty Simpson, have yet to sign contracts
Rams rookie QB Ty Simpson stated he "didn't really see" the press conference where coach Sean McVay appeared "grumpy" and sullen after drafting Simpson. Simpson expressed excitement about his situation with McVay and veteran QB, despite the unusual presser
The Los Angeles Rams surprised everyone in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft when they selected former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. SEC coaches acknowledged that Simpson's profile "has some clear concerns," but another SEC coach said that "it's a great fit for him from a system standpoint." "There's a lot of similarities [with Michael Stafford]. [The pick] was the biggest [surprise], a guy who didn't have a ton of starts, but when he played, he played well. His long game is going to be really good." Simpson only had one season of starting experience at Alabama in 2025, so he's clearly not ready for a starting role at the next level. The good news is that in L.A., behind Stafford, Simpson won't be pressured to start right away, and he could end up sitting and learning for two years until Stafford decides to retire. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues will be playing the long game if they select Simpson, who is in excellent hands with head coach Sean McVay
Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said on ESPN Radio that he had secret meetings with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay before the Rams took Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. It was a bit of a surprise that the win-now Rams took Simpson with their first-round pick, a year after Matthew Stafford won the MVP. McVay said that he and general manager Les Snead were in lockstep and in agreement to take Simpson as the QB of the future in L.A., while also making sure to notify Stafford beforehand that they would select Simpson in the draft. McVay made it clear that this is still Stafford's team as they seek another Super Bowl championship in 2026 and beyond. Without much of a collegiate resume (Simpson started just one year at Alabama), the 23-year-old is expected to compete with Stetson Bennett for the backup role this year. The Rams think Stafford is capable of playing beyond 2026, too, so fantasy managers in dynasty leagues must be prepared to play the long game with him as he develops behind Stafford
Arizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love (+300) is the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, followed by Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza. Other notable rookies with odds include Titans WR Carnell Tate, Saints WR Jordyn Tyson, and Seahawks RB Jadarian Price. Quarterbacks Carson Beck and Ty Simpson also have odds, while the Defensive Rookie of the Year race features Jets WR David Bailey and Buccaneers LB Rueben Bain Jr
The Los Angeles Rams had one of the surprise picks on Thursday night in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall. The Rams were clearly looking for the heir apparent to MVP Matthew Stafford, but many draft analysts didn't expect L.A. to go with Simpson with their first-round selection. Although head coach Sean McVay said he was "absolutely" on board with the pick, multiple team sources said they thought McVay "might have felt the need to downplay the pick to accentuate his confidence in Stafford." McVay and general manager Les Snead were in "lockstep" the entire way. When all is said and done, it was a surprising move by a Rams team that had been making all of its offseason moves with a win-now mentality to try to take advantage of what little time Stafford might have left in the league. The Simpson pick was clearly made with an eye toward the future, and he's expected to compete for the backup job with Stetson Bennett this summer. It's unclear now if the Rams are interested in re-signing veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been considering retirement
Rams coach Sean McVay said after the Rams drafted Simpson 13th overall Thursday that the rookie quarterback out of Alabama will compete with Stetson Bennett for the backup quarterback role, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports. The Rams drafted Simpson with an eye on the future, but Los Angeles remains focused on winning in the moment with 38-year-old Matthew Stafford locked in as the starting quarterback. Simpson, who made only 15 starts in college, should benefit from sitting behind Stafford, but the rookie first-round pick won't have the second spot on the depth chart handed to him. The Rams likely will use training camp and the preseason to evaluate whether Simpson or the 2023 fourth-round pick Bennett will go into the season as Stafford's top backup
The Los Angeles Rams had one of the biggest surprise selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. While Simpson figures to be the successor to MVP Matthew Stafford, many draft analysts were wondering if Simpson would fall out of the first round of the draft entirely. After the pick was made, head coach Sean McVay said, "This is Matthew's team." The 38-year-old is entering his 18th season, but he was at the top of his game last year, and it's unclear how long he wants to continue playing. McVay made sure to run the selection of Simpson by Stafford first. L.A. became the first team to have a QB named MVP and then select a signal-caller in the first round since the Packers in 1967. With Jimmy Garoppolo considering retirement, McVay said that Simpson will compete for the backup gig with Stetson Bennett. Simpson doesn't have a long resume from college, but he's a hard worker and is in an excellent situation with the Rams to eventually replace Stafford. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues will need to be patient with Simpson
The Los Angeles Rams have selected QB Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. There was talk pre-draft that a team would likely trade back into the first round to take the former Alabama QB. The Rams reportedly let QB Matthew Stafford know that they were going to take Simpson and that the plan is for Simpson to take over when Stafford chooses to retire. There are questions about his arm velocity that will need to be worked out, but if there is any head coach that can develop the young quarterback, it is likely head coach Sean McVay
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
