Why Rams Preseason Will Be Critical for Ty Simpson’s Development

Rams QB Ty Simpson has spent training camp learning behind Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett. Now, he gets his chance in the preseason.

Jul 27, 2026; Westchester, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout the entirety of the offseason, the Los Angeles Rams have done a good job shielding quarterback Ty Simpson from the media. After taking Simpson with the 13th overall pick, the attention was naturally going to gravitate that direction. 

Instead, the Rams have kept the attention on Matthew Stafford and whenever Simpson is brought up, the coaching staff makes sure to equally praise what Bennett has done. It doesn’t hurt that Simpson is also listed as the third quarterback behind Bennett on the team’s initial depth chart. 

On Thursday, Simpson was made available to the media for the first time since being drafted as the 13th overall pick as he gets set to make his Rams debut in the preseason. 

“I'm super excited,” said Simpson. “I'm really ready to show who I am. I'm not going to do anything that I know I'm not capable of doing. I’m just going to stick to my rules and stick to what I've been doing, throwing with conviction and having fun out there.” 

Ty Simpson Making Most of Limited Rams Practice Reps

Throughout training camp, Simpson has received limited reps. On days when Matthew Stafford isn’t practicing, he acts as the backup quarterback behind Bennett. When Stafford does practice, his reps become even more limited. 

Despite the limited reps, Simpson has found ways to maximize those opportunities and improve behind the scenes. By all accounts, Simpson has asked all the right questions in the quarterback meeting room. On the practice field, he’s been proactive about going up to quarterback coach Dave Ragone between reps and asking questions. 

“I'm trying to take notes from him and Matthew each day,” said Simpson. “The cool thing about ‘Rags’ is not only is he a quarterback coach, but he played in the position so he understands how hard it is, understands the difficulty of the position and how much is asked.”

During Tuesday’s joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys, Simpson threw a touchdown pass to Mario Williams. When the Rams first put on pads in training camp, the rookie had some of his best days of practice. While the footwork may not have been perfect, the arm talent was evident. Simpson found CJ Daniels in the end zone for a touchdown. 

Ty Simpson TD to CJ Daniels on the final play of practice 👀

Davante Adams showing the first-rounder some love at the end.

Had a beautiful downfield throw to Jordan Whittington earlier on the drive as well. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/7gOb2f9qpj

— 𝙏𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙨 🐐⛷️ (@ShoGotNow) August 2, 2026

Why Preseason Reps Are Critical for Ty Simpson

When the Rams drafted Simpson with the 13th overall pick out of Alabama, it was no secret that he was one of the more inexperienced quarterbacks to come out. He started just 15 games for the Crimson Tide and spent the first three seasons as a backup. Out of those 15 starts, the first 10 were really good before he struggled more over the final handful of games. 

That lack of experience is partially why the preseason is so important for Simpson. These are the most valuable reps that he’ll get before the regular season. Once the regular season begins and Stafford practices more regularly, Simpson’s opportunities will become even more limited. Simpson is likely getting around 20 to 30 percent of the overall practice reps right now. 

As the Rams shift their focus to the regular season, that will drop to near zero. There simply aren’t enough reps during practices to use on someone the team hopes doesn’t play. The only throws Simpson may get during the season will be on the scout team and even those may mostly go to Bennett. Aside from that, it will be entirely mental reps for Simpson. 

With that said, preparing mentally despite a lack of reps is something that Simpson learned at Alabama. It’s part of why he’s well-suited for the situation the Rams have put him in. For better or worse, Simpson already knows how to prepare like a starter without getting starter reps.

“I think it goes all the way back to college in a similar situation,” said Simpson. “I’m always going to be prepared and always going to be ready. In this situation, it is very similar. I may not be out there physically, but I'm sure as heck I’ll be ready mentally.”

That won’t be a bad thing as it will allow Simpson to process the game from the sideline and help slow it down for when he does get an opportunity. However, these live-game reps during the preseason will also be very important to take what he’s learned on the practice field and in the meeting room and apply it during a game. 

Ty Simpson Ready to ‘Let It Rip’ in Rams Debut

It isn’t clear how much Simpson will play as the Rams are planning on also playing Bennett against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it would be fair to assume that he’ll play at least the second half, if not more. 

According to Simpson, Stafford told him early this week leading into the game, “Just go let it rip. It’s nothing that you haven’t done before.”

“I appreciate everything Matthew has done for me and Stetson as well,” said Simpson. “Those guys have been nothing but great role models for me and great mentors in the quarterback room.”

Saturday’s game for Simpson will be more about gaining experience in the offense rather than the actual result and outcome. Simpson has found ways to improve throughout training camp and has embraced his role behind Stafford and Bennett. 

For a quarterback with limited college experience, the preseason will be important for Simpson’s development. The Rams have been methodical in Simpson's development and the first preseason game is simply the next step in that process. As Stafford told him this week, it's a chance to “just go let it rip.”