Matthew Stafford just took home his first MVP trophy and led the Los Angeles Rams to a 12-5 record. But he's also 38 years old and potentially nearing the end of his NFL career — which is why head coach Sean McVay felt confident selecting Alabama's Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the draft. Using a near-top-10 pick on a backup quarterback is rare, but the Rams clearly believe Simpson can be developed into something special.
Yet surprisingly, he hasn't even won the backup job outright. McVay said Monday that while Simpson is set to play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Chargers, he remains undecided on whether Simpson or Stetson Bennett will be the No. 2 quarterback once the regular season begins. More news: Browns Coach Reveals Shedeur Sanders’ Reaction to Losing Starting Job More news: Steelers HC Mike McCarthy Breaks Silence on Joey Porter Jr’s Contract Drama Both Simpson and Bennett have played in each of the Rams' first two preseason games, with Bennett starting both.
In the preseason opener against Kansas City, Bennett played just the first quarter, going 4 of 6 for 38 passing yards. Simpson took over in the second quarter and played the rest of the game, finishing 21 of 25 for 190 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions — an impressive showing given it was his first live NFL action. The following week against the Saints, Bennett played the entire first half, going 19 of 31 for 181 yards, along with two rushing touchdowns near the goal line.
Simpson entered in the second half and went 8 of 12 for 73 yards. The fact that Bennett — a fourth-round pick in 2023 — has started both games suggests he may have the edge in the race for QB2, though McVay hasn't confirmed that outright. If that ends up being the case, it would make the Rams' decision to draft Simpson so high even more puzzling, should he enter the season as the No. 3 quarterback in the rotation.
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