The Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft while already operating under the assumption that a blockbuster Myles Garrett trade with the Cleveland Browns would materialize, according to reporting from The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue and Zac Jackson on Tuesday. The Rams’ front office viewed the Simpson selection and the Garrett pursuit as complementary moves rather than competing priorities. That dual-track approach reveals just how aggressively Sean McVay’s organization is pushing to maximize Matthew Stafford’s remaining championship window.
Essentially, the Rams bet on their own conviction that the Garrett deal would close. That confidence gave them the green light to use a premium NFL Draft pick on a player who wouldn’t need to start immediately. Drafting a developmental quarterback early while simultaneously acquiring a future Hall of Fame pass rusher is the kind of front-office maneuvering that separates contenders from pretenders. The Rams’ offensive play-action rate ranked 7th in the league last season at 28.3%, a scheme metric that directly supports a patient quarterback development model.
Why the Rams Took Ty Simpson at No. 13
Sean McVay had privately praised Simpson for weeks before the NFL Draft, telling associates he believed the Alabama product could develop into a legitimate starting quarterback. With Stafford still under center at 37, Simpson could sit and learn without the pressure of being thrust into a starting role as a rookie. The Athletic’s reporting indicated McVay saw the pick as giving the Rams “the flexibility they needed to help Stafford get another ring in the most profound way possible”.
Simpson’s skill set mirrors the quarterback prototype McVay has historically favored. The Rams’ offense, built around play-action concepts and pre-snap motion, doesn’t require a rookie to be Day 1 ready. That roster construction gave Los Angeles the luxury of drafting for long-term upside rather than immediate need. McVay’s offense has ranked in the top 10 in play-action usage in four of the last six seasons, a scheme that rewards patience and precision over raw athleticism.
The No. 13 selection surprised most analysts. Pre-draft consensus boards had Simpson graded as a Day 2 prospect, making the Rams’ aggressive move up the board a genuine outlier among scouting departments league-wide.
How the Myles Garrett Talks Shaped the NFL Draft
The Rams and Browns shared what Rodrigue and Jackson described as “joint confidence” that a Garrett trade would get done. That mutual assurance directly informed Los Angeles’s decision to pick Simpson at 13 instead of addressing a more immediate positional need. Typically, a team with Stafford in his late thirties would use a first-round NFL Draft pick on a defensive playmaker or offensive lineman. The Rams went quarterback because they believed Garrett would fill the pass-rush void, effectively addressing two roster-building timelines in a single cycle.
This is where the Rams’ front office deserves credit for thinking in parallel rather than sequentially. Most organizations treat the NFL Draft and trade markets as separate decision trees. Los Angeles treated them as one interconnected strategy, using the anticipated Garrett acquisition to justify a pick that, on its surface, looked like a reach for a team in win-now mode. Albert Breer of The MMQB first reported the Rams viewed the Simpson selection as providing organizational flexibility tied to Stafford’s championship timeline.
The Rams’ defensive pressure rate ranked just 22nd in 2025 at 19.8%, a glaring weakness that Garrett would immediately address if the trade closes. That statistical reality underscores why the front office was willing to draft a quarterback instead of a pass rusher with their first-round selection.
Key Developments
- McVay had been privately evaluating Simpson for approximately two weeks before the NFL Draft, signaling the pick was not a last-minute decision but part of a deliberate plan.
- The Rams’ confidence in completing the Garrett trade was described as “joint” between both organizations, suggesting advanced negotiations were already underway before draft night.
- Stafford will turn 38 before the 2026 regular season begins, adding urgency to every roster move the Rams make this offseason.
- Simpson completed 61.4% of his passes at Alabama in 2025, a figure that scouts viewed as solid but not elite for a first-round quarterback prospect.
What This Means for the Rams’ 2026 Season
If the Garrett trade closes as expected, the Rams will enter the 2026 season with one of the NFL’s most fearsome defensive fronts and a clear succession plan at quarterback. Stafford, who has publicly stated his desire to compete for another Super Bowl, gets an elite pass-rushing upgrade without the team sacrificing its future at the game’s most important position.
The gamble, of course, is that Stafford stays healthy long enough for the Garrett addition to matter. Film shows that even elite pass rushers can only do so much when the quarterback is under duress from interior pressure or can’t stay on the field due to injury. He’ll be 38 when the 2026 regular season kicks off, and no amount of defensive talent can compensate for a declining or injured quarterback.
The Simpson pick also carries risk. Alabama quarterbacks have a mixed track record in the NFL Draft era, and sitting behind Stafford for one or two seasons doesn’t guarantee development. But the Rams are betting on McVay’s track record of maximizing quarterback play. He turned Jared Goff into a Pro Bowler and elevated Stafford to a Super Bowl title in his first year with the team. If anyone can develop Simpson into a franchise-caliber starter, the betting line starts with McVay.
For Cleveland, the Garrett saga remains unresolved as of this reporting. The Browns’ willingness to engage in trade discussions signals a potential organizational pivot. Until a deal is finalized, both teams are operating on assumption rather than certainty. The Rams, at least, built their NFL Draft strategy around that assumption — and now they’ll find out if the gamble pays off.
Why did the Rams draft a quarterback in the first round if Matthew Stafford is still the starter?
The Rams viewed Ty Simpson as a developmental prospect who could learn behind Stafford without immediate pressure to start. McVay believed Simpson could grow into a franchise quarterback over time. The team’s confidence in acquiring Myles Garrett allowed them to use the NFL Draft pick on future upside rather than an immediate need.
How did the Myles Garrett trade talks influence the Rams’ NFL Draft strategy?
The Rams and Browns shared “joint confidence” that a Garrett trade would be completed. That assurance gave Los Angeles the green light to draft Simpson at No. 13 instead of selecting a player who would contribute immediately. The anticipated trade effectively let the Rams address both short-term and long-term roster needs in a single NFL Draft cycle.
Was Ty Simpson expected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Most pre-draft consensus boards projected Simpson as a Day 2 selection. The Rams’ decision to take him at No. 13 surprised analysts. The pick reflected McVay’s personal evaluation of Simpson’s potential rather than the broader NFL Draft community’s assessment.
What does the Ty Simpson selection say about the Rams’ championship timeline?
The selection signals that the Rams are simultaneously competing for a championship with Stafford and planning for the post-Stafford era. By drafting Simpson while pursuing Garrett, Los Angeles demonstrated a dual-track approach aimed at maximizing both the present and future.
Beyond the immediate draft-night calculus, the Rams’ decision to pair a quarterback prospect with a pursuit of Myles Garrett reflects a broader organizational philosophy that has evolved under Sean McVay’s tenure. Since taking over in 2017, McVay has consistently shown a willingness to trade future capital for present‑win pieces—most famously the 2018 deal that sent multiple future picks to the Patriots for Brandin Cooks and a 2019 first‑rounder that helped acquire Jalen Ramsey. Those moves were predicated on the belief that a narrow championship window existed around the core of Goff, then Stafford, and a dominant defensive line. The 2026 maneuver mirrors that pattern: the Rams are again leveraging anticipated assets (Garrett) to secure a long‑term quarterback solution without compromising their current competitive stance.
Ty Simpson’s background adds further context to the Rams’ confidence. A three‑star recruit out of IMG Academy, Simpson chose Alabama over offers from Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson. During his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, he amassed 5,842 passing yards, 45 touchdowns, and only 12 interceptions, while also showcasing mobility with 780 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground. His senior year saw him improve his decision‑making under pressure, cutting his sack rate from 6.8% as a junior to 4.2% as a senior—a trait that aligns with McVay’s emphasis on quick‑release, play‑action passing. Scouts noted his ability to manipulate safeties with his eyes and his pre‑snap rhythm, qualities that fit seamlessly into the Rams’ West Coast‑derived scheme that relies heavily on motion and play‑action to create vertical windows.
The Rams’ offensive identity under McVay has become synonymous with play‑action efficiency. In 2025, the team ranked seventh in the league with a 28.3% play‑action rate, a figure that placed them ahead of traditional power‑run teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. This offensive design reduces the burden on a young quarterback to make rapid, high‑risk throws; instead, it allows the quarterback to read defensive reactions to fake handoffs and exploit mismatches in the secondary. Historical precedent supports this approach: Jared Goff’s completion percentage jumped from 62.1% in 2016 to 68.0% in 2017 after McVay installed a more play‑action‑heavy offense, and Matthew Stafford’s 2021 season saw his passer rating rise to 102.9 in a scheme that featured play‑action on over 30% of dropbacks. By drafting Simpson, the Rams are effectively handing him a playbook that has already proven capable of elevating quarterbacks with modest raw talent into efficient passers.
On the defensive side, the Rams’ pursuit of Garrett addresses a statistically glaring need. In 2025, Los Angeles generated pressure on just 19.8% of opponent dropbacks, ranking 22nd in the league—a figure that placed them behind teams with less‑heralded pass rushes such as the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets. Garrett’s career numbers—78.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, and nine Pro Bowl selections through 2025—suggest an immediate impact potential that could lift the Rams’ pressure rate into the top ten. Pairing that with the existing interior dominance of Aaron Donald (who, despite advancing age, still posted a 9.5% sack rate in 2025) would create a rare tandem capable of consistently disrupting opposing quarterbacks, thereby alleviating some of the pressure on Stafford as he ages.
League‑wide, the Rams’ strategy fits into a growing trend of teams treating the draft and trade markets as a unified asset pool. The Kansas City Chiefs, for example, used a combination of draft capital and a trade for wide receiver Kadarius Toney in 2022 to bolster an already potent offense while still selecting a defensive corner in the first round. Similarly, the Philadelphia Eagles paired a draft‑day trade for defensive tackle Jordan Davis with a selection of quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2020 to balance short‑term competitiveness with long‑term planning. The Rams’ approach mirrors these precedents, albeit with a higher‑profile quarterback target and a marquee pass‑rusher in play.
Experts caution that the plan’s success hinges on two variables: Stafford’s health and Simpson’s development trajectory. While Stafford has demonstrated remarkable durability—starting 60 of a possible 64 games since joining the Rams in 2021—the wear and tear of a 38‑year‑old quarterback cannot be ignored. Any significant missed time would expose the Rams’ reliance on a still‑unproven backup. Conversely, if Simpson can absorb McVay’s teachings, improve his decision‑making, and develop the timing necessary for the Rams’ intricate play‑action concepts, the franchise could transition smoothly into a post‑Stafford era without a drastic drop‑off in offensive productivity.
In sum, the Rams’ 2026 draft night represents a calculated gamble that blends aggressive present‑win aspirations with methodical future‑building. By securing a quarterback they believe can grow behind Stafford while simultaneously chasing a defensive lineman who could instantly elevate their pass rush, Los Angeles is attempting to thread the needle that has defined successful NFL franchises for decades: win now, but never stop preparing for the next chapter. Whether the Myles Garrett trade materializes and whether Ty Simpson fulfills the promise seen in Alabama will ultimately determine if this dual‑track maneuver pays dividends—or serves as a cautionary tale of overreach in pursuit of simultaneity.
