The Los Angeles Rams are preparing for the future. At least that’s what the team signaled to the world when they drafted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick, even with Matthew Stafford returning for an 18th season.
That preparation for a post-Stafford world starts in 2026, though, even if Simpson isn’t expected to see the field. How that manifests on the practice field remains to be seen, but Rams general manager Les Snead told Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein on March 30, before the team took Simpson, that L.A.’s backup will “get more reps” in practice.
“The way we manage Matthew, at least our backup QB is going to get more reps,” Snead said. “But it’s going to come during OTAs. It’s going to come during some portions of training camp. And then once the season starts, so that’s the tough part.”
While those words were spoken almost a month before the Simpson selection, the plan seems to have been in place for a while. And if reports of the Rams’ long-time infatuation with Simpson are to be believed, then it’s within the realm of possibility that Snead was talking about Simpson getting more practice reps back in March.
Simpson isn’t guaranteed to be Stafford’s direct backup in 2026 — head coach Sean McVay already said the rookie would compete with Stetson Bennett for that job. But if Simpson wins the job, it sounds like the team will try to push his development track along a little faster for a player who won’t start until Stafford is gone.
That is an important element of his future in the NFL. One of the issues with Simpson as a prospect in 2026 was his limited starting experience of just 15 games for the Crimson Tide in 2025. And now that he won’t see the field until after Stafford is gone, it could mean a long time between Simpson playing meaningful snaps. So, the extra practice time — even for a non-starter — is warranted.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams GM sheds light on Ty Simpson’s development plan for 2026