The Los Angeles Rams were in the NFC Championship Game last year, and they got there thanks in large part due to NFL MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford. Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, many expected Los Angeles to select win-now players to bolster Stafford’s supporting cast.
Instead, they went in the exact opposite direction, using the No. 13 overall pick to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who will sit behind Stafford until he decides to retire. It was the strangest pick of the first round, and Rams head coach Sean McVay did not seem thrilled with the selection. McVay wants to compete for a Super Bowl in 2026, and he knows he needs Stafford at his best to do so.
NFL Analyst Reveals How Sean McVay Used ‘Pissed’ Presser to Send a Message
It makes sense that McVay would be unhappy with the selection, as Simpson likely won’t play for him in 2026. However, McVay didn’t really try to hide his frustration at his post-first-round press conference, as his poor body language and blunt answers quickly went viral.
“McVay was salty, McVay was truculent, McVay was pissed,” NBC’s Mike Florio confirmed. However, McVay’s decision to showcase his frustration may have been calculated and an attempt to show support for his veteran quarterback.
The last thing McVay wants is for Stafford to get upset that the Rams selected a QB in the first round or think that the organization is pushing him out.
“This was McVay’s way of ensuring that quarterback Matthew Stafford did not get the wrong idea, did not emerge with the misimpression that the selection of Simpson is like Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love or Kirk Cousins/Michael Penix Jr.,” Florio said. “They are not looking to close the door on Matthew Stafford.”
For more context, click the video below to hear what PFSN analysts had to say on Football Debate Club during their live draft show.
Last season, Stafford showed no signs of slowing down. He threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns, which both led the NFL.
According to PFSN’s NFL QB Impact metric, Stafford finished as the No. 6 overall QB in the NFL with a QBi score of 83.4, while leading Los Angeles to by far the No. 1-ranked offense in the league in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric.
Rams Remain a Super Bowl Favorite
The Rams’ 2026 NFL Draft class earned a D+ grade from PFSN, which was tied for the worst in the league:
- QB Ty Simpson, D- | No. 13
- TE Max Klare, C | No. 61
- OT Keagen Trost, C- | No. 93
- WR CJ Daniels, C+ | No. 197
- DT Tim Keenan III, B+ | No. 232
“Maybe this is wrong of me to be like, ‘Oh, I’m doubting what Sean McVay and Les Snead did, but I thought Ty Simpson was a reach at No. 13; it was a D- grade,” said PFSN’s Jacob Infante on our Football Debate Club live draft show. “Max Klare is not some bad value at No. 61 overall. I just don’t know if the positional focus is all that great, especially after you draft Terrance Ferguson in the second round last season. You’re bringing a tight end into that already crowded room. I liked Keagen Trost. Tim Keenan III was a good pick. CJ Daniels is not bad as just a depth wide receiver.
“I just don’t know how much of an impact you’re going to get out of this rookie class this year. You were a game away from the Super Bowl this past season, and I don’t think you added a single impact player for 2026.”
Despite the Rams not helping themselves much in the 2026 NFL Draft, they remain one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl heading into next season. While their draft picks leave a lot to be desired, they traded for an elite cornerback in Trent McDuffie this offseason.
The offense doesn’t show any signs of slowing down either, as Stafford is still surrounded by arguably the best supporting cast in the league in Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Kyren Williams with an innovative playcaller in McVay.
Unless something happens to Stafford, Simpson will not see the field in 2026, and that would be just fine with McVay.
