Rams give Matthew Stafford contract extension just after drafting his replacement

Stafford, who will be 38 years old this season, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and won his first MVP award. He led the league in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46) and helped guide the Rams to a 12-5 regular season record and a trip to the NFC Championship game.

While there is some concern over a late-30s starting quarterback, especially given some of the injury concerns Stafford has had in recent years, it is clear that he is still an elite passer when he is fully healthy and on the field. He gives the Rams a legitimate shot to win it all, and by adding another year to his contract they obviously see their Super Bowl window as being wide open. 

That is what makes their first-round selection of Simpson so curious.

They obviously like his upside and would like to be prepared for when Stafford retires. But selecting him and planning for the long term doesn't make the current team as strong as it could be when it is very clearly still in a win-now mode. That's the delicate balance teams have to strike in situations like this. 

The Green Bay Packers made a similar situation work (in two previous instances) when they used first-round picks on Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love when they still had future Hall of Fame starters on their roster (Brett Favre, and then Rodgers). It allowed for a seamless transition into the next era and continued competitiveness. 

The Rams obviously want to duplicate that process.

The question is whether or not Simpson is the player to carry the torch in the post-Stafford era. 

He will have two years to learn behind one of the best on the field (Stafford) and from one of the best on the sidelines (Sean McVay). It will be up to him to do something with all of that.