The Rams surprised many when they drafted former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft earlier this year.
The thought, according to many, was that Simpson would ultimately replace Matthew Stafford in a year or two, perhaps after one more Super Bowl run. We’ve seen NFL franchises have success with this model in the past, as the Chiefs took Patrick Mahomes in the first round when they still had Alex Smith behind center. The Packers, of course, famously did it with Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, too.
But could Simpson actually be starting sooner than expected?
It’s an idea that some are pushing, as the Rams have dropped to 2-4 on the season, following a Week 6 loss.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Rams have lost two straight games, falling to the Bills, 37-34, and the Cardinals, 18-16, in back-to-back weeks.
While there’s still a lot of season left, some close to the Rams are now urging Sean McVay to bench Stafford in favor of the rookie.
Rams facing pressure to bench Stafford, start Simpson
SB Nation’s Rams blog, Turf Show Times, is urging the Rams to make a quarterback change this week.
“If LA would have ignored the backup quarterback position as they had done in recent years, there would be no conversation. Instead, this year is different. They drafted Ty Simpson thirteenth overall,” they wrote.
“With the Rams currently holding a 2-4 record and tied for last place in the NFC West with the lowly Arizona Cardinals, the playoffs are far out of reach barring a dramatic reversal in overall team performance. This is a losing team. At some point you must accept who you are and decide who should be part of the turnaround next year.
“Matthew Stafford won’t be back in 2027. He looks like a shell of his MVP form from a year ago.”
McVay would likely strongly oppose this idea, as it seemed like he was against drafting Ty Simpson in the first place.
But, if the Rams were to rack up another bad loss or two, perhaps the team would force his hand to make a change.
