The Rams see Ken Simpson as Stafford’s successor

LOS ANGELES — In June, Los Angeles Rams General manager Les Snead was at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana, doing “due diligence on quarterbacks.”

While there — and for the next year — the scouting staff spotted the Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson “Somebody that will work well with (head coach) Sean (McVay) and fit what we’re looking for at that position,” director of scouting Nicole Blake said.

In Simpson, the Rams noticed “his intelligence” and saw him play in the pro-style system used by Alabama.

“He makes a lot of pro-style throws and it was very easy to see the translation,” Blake said.

However, Simpson started behind only 15 colleges Bryce Young And Jalen MilroThe Rams thought he was the right player to draft as a potential successor Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles selected Simpson with the No. 13 pick in last weekend’s NFL draft.

Those 15 career starts are the fourth fewest of any first-round quarterback in the past 25 years, according to ESPN Research. only Anthony Richardson Sr. (13), Mitchell Trubisky (13) and Dwayne Haskins (14) had fewer.

Rams assistant general manager John McKay said the lack of games was not something the staff was “overly concerned about.”

“He spent time learning Alabama,” McKay said. “He was in a high-level program and then we were able to evaluate all kinds of throws. He’s been in a lot of big moments so we felt there was enough of a sample size where we didn’t have any breaks about starting.

“… We felt confident based on what he put on tape that he was the right guy.”

Snead said even though Simpson didn’t start his first three seasons, the quarterback “played maturely.”

“I think going places, persevering and just trying to play is not a transfer,” Snead said. “There is an element of sitting, learning, developing and getting better.”

McVay added: “His ability to stay the course and go through some different challenging odds, I think that’s shaped him.”

Simpson said he told teams during the predraft process that the years he sat out at Alabama “were — probably more — important than the years I played.”

“I had to learn how to practice,” Simpson said. “I had to learn how to study when I wasn’t playing because I didn’t know when that time would come. Whenever that time came, it was this year and I made the most of it.”

That tape — and subsequent meetings with the Rams — showed the team two things in particular: Simpson’s intelligence and his persistence.

His first start came in Alabama’s opener against Florida State, a game the Crimson Tide lost. Simpson completed 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns.

“I grew up in Alabama,” Snead said. “The sky was falling at Alabama State (because they lost), but maybe that’s how they progressed as a team from that point and you have to watch him as a quarterback in the playoffs (stand out).”

After that loss, Simpson and Alabama won eight consecutive games and finished with an 11–4 record that ended with a College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Indiana. McKay pointed to a specific November game watching his beloved Simpson, calling the quarterback’s performance “tough and gutsy.”

“One game I always go back to is you see him play this year against Auburn where things were really messy,” McKay said. “He was under a lot of pressure up front and things were moving really fast. It wasn’t his best statistical game. It wasn’t a game where it stood out, but you saw some clutch moments. He was able to make plays to get them a big win.

“That was a game that was really remarkable. It’s not a game that everybody talks about. I think he only threw for like 130 yards. When you watch that game and evaluate the tape, you think, ‘Holy cow, that’s unbelievable that you got them across the line.'”

It was also on tape that the Rams saw how Simpson “was able to process, be able to catch throws behind one, two or three hits,” McKay said, adding, “We have a great appreciation for our offense.”

“You have to be smart to play here,” Blake said. “You can tell just by watching the film that he knows how to play the position. He’s a super-smart quarterback. He obviously grew up with a dad who was a coach so he’s lived and breathed it all his life.”

Simpson’s father, Jason, coached UT Martin Since 2006.

The Rams also expect Simpson — or at least hope — to get at least a year of practice reps before he plays in a meaningful NFL game. While the Rams have faith in Simpson, McVay made it clear that whenever the time comes, it will be on Stafford’s terms.

Stafford, entering his 18th NFL season at age 38, was named the NFL’s MVP last season after leading the league in passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46).

But the Rams drafting Simpson had less to do with the timing and how much they liked the prospect. After all, while McVay said Stafford has earned the right to decide how long he wants to play on a year-to-year basis, he also said at a league meeting in March that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Stafford play beyond the 2026 season.

“Especially the way Sean and we like to play, you can’t just plug a quarterback in there and play,” Blake said. “When you find somebody that you think fits the system and buy-in from everyone in the building that we’ve found, I don’t think when you take them, you just take them.

“Maybe it’s two years, three years, four years, who knows. It’s a hard thing to find so when you find it, you take it.”