Les Snead Chooses Future Over "All In" With Rams' Ty Simpson Pick

Throughout much of the Los Angeles Rams offseason, the common theme has surrounded the idea of "win now" and being "all in." This is a team that entered the offseason with two first-round picks after making the NFC Championship Game. For many, the focus was closing the gap and doing what was needed to win another Super Bowl. When the Rams and Les Snead took Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, it signaled a shift from his typical approach.

Prior to free agency, the Rams traded for cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs, giving up the 29th overall pick. After trading for McDuffie, the Rams signed his teammate in free agency, addressing their immediate needs at cornerback.

Entering the draft, the Rams were in a very unique position in which they didn't have any immediate needs, combined with one of the best rosters in the NFL. While everybody wanted a player who would make a significant impact, it was never going to happen.

Overall, this was a weaker draft class. The number of players who would have been able to make an impact was minimal. Jeremiyah Love was taken third overall, and Carnell Tate went at No. 4. Sonny Styles went to the Washington Commanders at No. 7 and Jordyn Tyson went to the New Orleans Saints at No. 8.

At wide receiver, the Rams were, at best, getting a WR3. If the Rams took an offensive lineman, that player was going to be a swing tackle or depth. Had the Rams taken tight end Kenyon Sadiq, he would have been the TE3 in the offense. While Rueben Bain was still available, the Rams have two quality edge rushers and Josaiah Stewart as depth. Makai Lemon would have been the WR3 and his skill set overlapped with Puka Nacua. It's simply a testament to how strong the roster is, and that's a very good spot for this team to be in.

At the end of the day, there was no "win now" or "all in" with this draft. The Rams made their impact pick when they traded for McDuffie. If the Rams were counting on the draft to win the Super Bowl, they were already going to lose. General Manager Les Snead addressed the immediate needs in free agency. This draft was always about building depth and adding to the future.

The next time the Rams will be ‘all in' will be at the trade deadline. It's the next time that they will be able to add a proven player and will have a better idea of what their actual needs are. At that point, they will actually know what they need to potentially get over the hump and win the Super Bowl.

This may not have been the pick that many wanted, but if the Rams had conviction, it was one worth making. The quarterback position is not one worth messing around with. If McVay feels like Ty Simpson is the guy, it makes sense to take him, especially given the state of the roster. It's very possible that McVay sees Kirk Cousins' pocket movement and processing combined with a touch of Baker Mayfield's athleticism. Given the fit, it was curious that the potential of this pick wasn't talked about more. If McVay had enough conviction at 13 to take Simpson, that should be enough.

When all is said and done, the Rams got their guy after Stafford. They don't make this pick if Stafford isn't ok with it. The Rams have a vision and Simpson has a great mentor in Stafford, who just won MVP. It's a great situation for Simpson to be in. That alone should be exciting.

Could the Rams have waited until 2027 to take a quarterback? Absolutely. However, so many times, we've seen Snead and the Rams zig while the rest of the league zags. It's not likely that one of the top four quarterbacks in next year's class drops past the 20th overall pick. Even if they do, which team is giving up the opportunity to draft their franchise quarterback? The Rams got a quarterback at 13 that the rest of the league undervalued.

This isn't to say that it was a great selection or the Rams made the right pick. However, it was good process. One of the most beneficial things for a rookie quarterback is being able to sit and Simpson will get that. He's not a perfect prospect, but like Drew Brees, he was was also undersized and didn't have the strongest arm.

It may not be the most exciting pick and he may not contribute immediately. However, it can be argued that any other rookie drafted at that spot wouldn't have made a significant impact on this roster either.

It's a shift from the norm of what fans are used to from Les Snead. Throughout Snead's career, he has been aggressive and has been known for the "F them picks" mentality. With Simpson, Snead prioritized the future over win now.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/onsi as Les Snead Chooses Future Over "All In" With Rams' Ty Simpson Pick.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 8:03 PM.