Rams may make surprising Ty Simpson decision amid development under Matthew Stafford

The Los Angeles Rams acquired who they hope will become the club's next long-term quarterback when they selected Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Simpson is currently learning from starter Matthew Stafford, but the rookie is also on track to compete for the team's QB2 job with fellow backup Stetson Bennett IV. According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US, Rams head coach Sean McVay may already have his Week 1 depth chart all but finalized. 

It would be a "surprise" if Ty Simpson begins September as the Rams' primary backup?

"The Rams face an incredibly daunting schedule overall," La Canfora explained, "...and this team is in Super-Bowl-or-bust mode more than perhaps any other in the league. Which means that veteran backup Stetson Bennett, with years of experience in Sean McVay’s offense and who saw lots of reps in the past offseason when league MVP Matthew Stafford was battling injuries, could still emerge as their No. 2 quarterback this season. In fact, it would actually surprise us if McVay didn’t go into the season with his quarterback room arranged in that fashion."

A 2023 fourth-round draft pick, Bennett has never attempted a regular-season pass as a pro. That said, he should be much more familiar with McVay’s offense and with his offensive teammates than Simpson this summer. 

Additionally, Stafford recently signed a contract extension that could keep him atop the team's depth chart through at least the 2027 season. Thus, McVay and Co. don't need to be in any rush to see how Simpson performs against live defenses. 

Sean McVay higher on Stetson Bennett IV than some realize?

"Sources close to the coach around the league have told me McVay believes he could compete and win games with Bennett if he had to," La Canfora added. "Everything with Simpson is about him being ready to win games when Stafford retires, but don’t expect to see a push made to ramp up Simpson for any particular role by Week 1. The Rams also have an absolutely brutal travel schedule early in the season that will cut even more into their practice and prep time, which also would work in Bennett’s favor."

The Rams open the regular season with a matchup versus the rival San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. Following a Week 2 home game against the New York Giants, Los Angeles will play back-to-back road contests. 

Barring an unexpected development, it sounds like Simpson could be the Rams' QB3 through at least the first Sunday of October.