INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay met with local media to recap of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, discussing the decision to take Alabama's Ty Simpson 13th overall and what it means for the quarterback position moving forward.
Three takeaways from that session:
Selection of Simpson seemingly closes door on Jimmy Garoppolo return; Simpson to compete with Stetson Bennett IV for backup role
Entering the draft, there was uncertainty around the backup quarterback spot with Garoppolo weighing retirement.
Asked if Simpson will back up Stafford, McVay said Simpson is "going to compete with Stetson."
Asked later if the selection of Simpson "closes the door on Jimmy," McVay said, "It's probably not necessary now, going this route."
Translatable skillset, concepts from Alabama's offense
According to McVay, the carryover of a lot of what Alabama did under offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb made it easier to evaluate the translation of that to the NFL level.
"So to be able to add somebody that you can evaluate a body of work where he was asked to play the position, and a lot of things that do translate, in terms of concepts, reading with his feet, some of the different things in the drop-back, in the play action game, the movement game," McVay said. "There's a lot of things that coach Grubb did that's very similar to kind of how we operate, so it made it an easier evaluation to be able to kind of say, 'All right, what would that look like if you did translate it to our level?'"
"This is still Matthew's team"
Snead said it's a "net positive" to be able to address the quarterback position and its future before it becomes a glaring need (teams like the Packers have had success with such an approach in the past).
Meanwhile, McVay emphasized, "Let's make one thing clear, this is still Matthew's team," and this was about getting the chance to address the backup quarterback spot.
Asked about Stafford's reaction to the pick, McVay said, "Oh, he was great. He's a stud. I mean, he's always first class in every sense of the word."
Take a look at photos of newly drafted Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson from his time at Alabama.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) looks for a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) drops back to pass against Vanderbilt during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) warms up prior to an NCAA football game against Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws before an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs the ball against Oklahoma during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson throws a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs the ball for a touchdown against Western Kentucky during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) signals to his team during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) works in the pocket against Oklahoma during the first half in the first round of an NCAA College Football Playoff, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) looks for a receiver against Florida State during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA football game against Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
