The Los Angeles Rams may have made one of the boldest moves of the 2026 NFL Draft when they used the No 13 overall pick on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. However, the decision comes with repurcussions. Now, Sean McVay and co face tough questions about reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford future at SoFi. The QB remains the face of the franchise after throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and just eight interceptions while completing 65% of his passes last year.
But with retirement speculation surrounding the veteran quarterback for multiple seasons, Rams leadership appears to have decided it was time to proactively prepare for life beyond their Super Bowl-winning star.
Why Rams drafted Ty Simpson
Rather than waiting for Stafford’s eventual departure and scrambling for a replacement, Los Angeles secured Simpson now – a move general manager Les Snead made clear was part of a larger organizational strategy.
“I know Sean sat down with Matthew, and Sean was the one that was communicating what our plans were if Ty were to fall to 13,” Snead said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on April 28.
“By the time we chatted with Matthew, there was a–if you want to call it–good guesstimate that Ty would have a chance to fall to 13. I think at the end of the day, Matthew’s a very, very smart player. He comprehends, right, what’s what the plan is. He understands it. He’s a professional. That’s what he does. And at the end of the day, he’s the reigning MVP.”
Snead also emphasized the Rams are still fully committed to winning with Stafford in the present, even while planning for the future.
“Here’s what doing the QB this year does for us, right: There’s an element that we are able to get a possible successor, come in, and hey, earn equity, be a backup. But what it does in the future is this is–hopefully, we’re picking late. Let’s call it that,” Snead said. “When you have a QB that, right, is in the twilight of his career, a lot of times you want to save some of those early picks, right, to ensure just in case Matthew decides, ‘I’ve had enough.’ It’s coming soon. Hey, it’s his timeline. He’s the MVP.”
“At the end of the day, when you’re not sure when, he might say it’s over, you’d like to ensure some of those other picks in case you need to react versus proacting for the next QB. We can now, maybe, use those picks, right, to add different players to chase special with Matthew, whether it’s through the draft or doing what we did with Trent McDuffie and adding a veteran.”
Matthew Stafford’s concerns
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk openly questioned whether the Rams’ extensive public messaging around Stafford suggests deeper concern.
“What if Matthew Stafford says, ‘Screw it, I retire.’ What if he decides, you’re not making me an offer I like, so I’m going to retire,” Florio said. “I think the what if has to be in the conversation for his potential reaction to the Rams drafting his replacement. Why are they bending over backwards if they’re not worried about how he’s going to respond?”
Florio later doubled down, writing: “It’s now obvious that the Rams have twisted themselves into an ever-changing Eldredge knot over the messaging associated with the stunning decision to use the 13th overall pick in the draft on quarterback Ty Simpson. And the overriding purpose of the fast-moving shell game has been the ongoing management of the relationship with the NFL’s reigning MVP — quarterback Matthew Stafford.”
“Now that the truth (we think) has come out, it’s fair to wonder how Stafford will react.”
“The ever-moving goalposts suggest anxiety from the organization about Stafford’s potential reaction to banking that bonus pick,” Florio wrote. “And now that Simpson has given up the ghost as to the extent to which McVay was involved in scouting him, it’s time to get some popcorn and wait for Stafford’s next move.”
The AJ Brown negotiation point
The Rams’ draft strategy could also shape how aggressively they pursue immediate roster upgrades. Prior speculation linked Los Angeles to Eagles star AJ Brown, though those talks reportedly cooled after the Rams acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and concerns emerged about Brown’s medical wear-and-tear.
For now, Los Angeles appears focused on balancing two timelines: maximizing Stafford’s remaining championship window while ensuring the franchise does not face a quarterback crisis whenever he walks away.
