Matthew Stafford Extension Makes Rams' Ty Simpson Gamble Harder to Explain
The Los Angeles Rams shocked everybody when they used the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Not because Simpson lacked ability, though some argued he wasn’t a first-round talent, but because they already have reigning MVP Matthew Stafford.
Most draft projections had the Rams targeting immediate help at wide receiver, tight end, or along the offensive line. Instead, Sean McVay and Les Snead grabbed a quarterback for the future as they chase another Super Bowl with Stafford still in his prime.
With Stafford now 38 years old, the long-term succession plan at least carried some logic.
Then came Thursday’s development.
Stafford reportedly agreed to a one-year, $55 million extension with the Rams, a deal that keeps him under contract through 2027.
Now, less than 24 hours later, Dan Patrick has unloaded on the Rams’ logic.
"Here’s Matthew Stafford, MVP, and you draft Ty Simpson in the first round," Patrick said Friday. "If you think Matthew Stafford is going to play two more years, you don't draft Ty Simpson. Unless you think he's the next Drew Brees. I have a problem with that.
“Like, best case scenario for him (Simpson) is a worst case scenario for the Rams, and that would be that Stafford got hurt," Patrick added. "As soon as I saw that he was extended for another year, I thought, ‘Boy, couldn’t you have used a wide receiver or another tight end?’ (Kenyon) Sadiq or Makai Lemon. I mean, those guys are helping you right away. But Ty Simpson will sit and watch, maybe for two years."
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Stafford is coming off arguably the best season of his 17-year NFL career. He led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes, won his first MVP award and guided the Rams to a 12-5 record and an NFC title game.
In short, he didn’t look like a quarterback anywhere close to retirement.
But football can be unforgiving, and this is the most valuable position in sports, which is why McVay and his staff moved to grab Simpson, who was widely viewed as the second-best QB in the draft behind Fernando Mendoza.
Stafford also carries a notable injury history, which makes drafting a talented young quarterback to develop behind him make sense. If Stafford misses time, or declines faster than expected, the Rams would have an answer already in-house.
But then, if the plan was always to keep Stafford through 2027 on a massive new deal, why spend premium first-round capital on a quarterback who, in the Rams’ ideal scenario, may not see meaningful snaps until two years from now?
Most mocks had the Rams going either wide receiver, with top pass catchers like Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson projected to still be available. Some even thought KC Concepcion could be a logical fit alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
At No. 13 overall, LA still had the chance to take one of the top tackles off the board, like Blake Miller or Max Iheanachor, guard Vega Ioane, who some viewed as the best overall lineman in the draft, or Sadiq, the consensus top tight end in the class.
Those were widely considered more pressing needs than quarterback.
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It’s a confusing decision to say the least. On the one hand, you can see the logic in letting Simpson sit back and learn from a veteran like Stafford. The Chiefs did it with Patrick Mahomes and Alex Smith, as did the Packers with Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers.
But if the Rams believe they are firmly inside a Super Bowl window, how much does a developmental quarterback help you win right now?
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 3:08 PM.