Rams NFL Draft Mailbag 3.0: Ty Simpson Fallout, Trade Buzz, UDFA Battles

Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is behind us, it’s time for another Los Angeles Rams mailbag as there is a lot to discuss. The Rams surprised everybody when they drafted Ty Simpson. We have a new quarterback, roster battles, potential trades, and much more to talk about.

Let’s get into it.

What are the chances of using next year’s first-round pick in a midseason trade now that it no longer needs to be used on a QB? - @turbogargo

This is part of the Ty Simpson pick that many seem to be overlooking. By taking Simpson now, the Rams are no longer stuck drafting a quarterback in 2027. They gave themselves flexibility. The Rams will have a better idea of what the needs on the roster will be at the trade deadline than last week before the draft.

I don’t want to say whether this scenario is likely. However, it at least gives them the flexibility without messing with any future plans at the quarterback position. If the right opportunity presents itself, I would not expect Les Snead to hold back like he did last year.

What would be a fair trade to get AJ Brown and what other players could be on the Rams’ radar - @corycar77 and @WhoLeeOn92

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is going to hold firm for as long as he can when it comes to getting a first-round pick for AJ Brown. However, the Eagles lost a lot of leverage after the draft. They traded for Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers and also signed Hollywood Brown in free agency. They moved up in the draft to take Makai Lemon as well.

It appears that the Eagles don’t see Brown as part of their roster long-term. At some point, Roseman may have to settle for less than his asking price. The Rams may start at a second-round pick and fifth-round pick with an eventual deal settling on a second and third-round pick in 2027. Chris Olave is in the final year of his contract and could be an interesting name after the New Orleans Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson. George Pickens and the Dallas Cowboys are in a contract dispute. The New York Giants are in rebuild mode and there is speculation that they could trade Kayvon Thibodeaux.

If Ty Simpson in college were a fast food hamburger, which one would he be? - @_SC00T

This was probably my favorite question in the mailbag this week and I went back and forth on a couple. He’s not the Big Mac or The Whopper that all burgers strive to be. Simpson also isn’t a gourmet burger from Shake Shack or a great low-value option like the double-double from In-N-Out. The way people talk about Simpson, you would think that he’s some burger you got at White Castle because it was the only option at 2 a.m.

After a lot of thought, I settled on the classic cheeseburger from Five Guys. It has all of the fundamentals of a great cheeseburger. It’s not flashy, but it executes. It’s reliant on the toppings you decide to put on it. You can go simple and just add ketchup and mustard, or if you give it bacon, barbecue sauce, onions, etc. it can be a very good burger. At the same time, it’s also more expensive than you want it to be. You get halfway through the burger and you remember why you haven’t gone to Five Guys in a year. It may be very good, but is it worth twice the price of a Big Mac? Probably not. Still, you find yourself going back.

Which UDFAs have a real chance to make the roster? - @vretz2121 and @kingkj1962

It’s going to be very difficult to make this roster. Last year was competitive as it was and the Rams have only gotten better. There are two names that I’ll be watching closely throughout training camp.

Dean Connors is a running back from Houston who excels as a receiver in the passing game. He’s reminiscent of Danny Woodhead or Rex Burkhead. Jarquez Hunter didn’t contribute last year and isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. Al’Zillion Hamilton from Fresno State is another player that I like. He lacks some size, but is very active on the ball.

Was the intention to not draw league-wide attention to how much the Rams valued Simpson? - @hardyoh

Following the draft, there was a lot of discourse around how much the Rams actually liked Simpson given Sean McVay’s reaction after the draft. The reaction may have been fair, but it was also overblown. That was taken to another level when Simpson said that he hadn’t met with McVay pre-draft.

The Rams famously operate in stealth mode pre-draft. Many of their reported meetings are smokescreens and they don’t have top-30 visits. It’s been reported that the Rams told Simpson to keep their meeting private and he clearly stuck to that which is a positive. We can only speculate whether another team like the New York Jets would have taken Simpson, but promoting their interest in a popular choice in Makai Lemon hid their actual intentions.

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