First-round draft pick Ty Simpson just put pen to paper on his rookie deal with the Los Angeles Rams, and get this: the team already has a wild plan cooked up to get him some serious reps right out of the gate. He’s battling Stetson Bennett to snag that backup spot behind Matthew Stafford, and the Rams are making sure he gets every chance to shine.
Stafford’s Back Puts Simpson In The Spotlight
The big story here is Matthew Stafford’s workload management. He’s dealing with a degenerative back issue, and the Rams are smart about it. Nate Atkins from The Athletic dropped the intel: training camp is split into four-day blocks. Stafford hits the field on days two and three, but he’s resting on the first and fourth days. He’s even skipping the very first practice on Sunday. You gotta respect it. The dude missed all of last year’s camp and then goes out and wins MVP, so clearly, he doesn’t need *all* the practice reps. This strategy, similar to how Jimmy Garoppolo kept things rolling in 2025, means way more time with the starters for the young guns. It also makes it way easier to evaluate quarterback play when they have a strong supporting cast around them.
Rookie Talent Ready To Put On A Show
Simpson isn’t just getting handed reps, he’s earned the shot. The Rams want him to sit and learn behind Stafford for as long as the MVP is playing, which makes sense after he only started one season at Alabama. But what a season! He led the Crimson Tide to the second round of the College Football Playoff, slinging 28 touchdown passes against just five interceptions. That’s solid. Now, with Jimmy Garoppolo a free agent contemplating retirement after holding that No. 2 spot for two seasons, the path is clear for Simpson to compete. He’ll have training camp and three preseason games to beat out Stetson Bennett.
This whole setup creates opportunities that just wouldn’t be there otherwise for Simpson to train with the starting cast. It’s go time. The Rams are planning for Stafford to sit out up to half of their practices in the first week, and that means plenty of spotlight on Simpson. The rookie needs to put on a show!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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