What the Media Keeps Getting Wrong About Ty Simpson and Matthew Stafford's Extension

As expected, the Los Angeles Rams extended quarterback Matthew Stafford on Thursday before the team officially hits OTAs next week. With Stafford’s extension, it once again brought the Ty Simpson pick into question. If the Rams were going to extend Stafford, why did they draft Simpson in the first place?

Everyone will say this but I want to say it too: This is part of the reason why the Ty Simpson pick is so confusing. One of the advantages of drafting a quarterback is the insane surplus value you get from their on field production vs what they’re counting against the cap. The… https://t.co/21LByRNBPR
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) May 22, 2026

At this point, the media not understanding the Simpson pick is more perplexing than the Rams actually taking Simpson. That doesn’t mean that those in the media need to agree with it. The pick can certainly be debated. However, the actual reasoning behind the pick has been explained ad nauseam. It’s simply refusing to understand it at this point.

The Rams extending Stafford doesn’t impact either Stafford’s or Simpson’s timeline. The plan was always to extend Stafford even before they drafted Simpson. Was the expectation that this would be Stafford’s final season before moving on or retiring after the year? At some point, the Simpson discourse simply becomes a case of groupthink.

Many in the media seem shocked that the Rams extended Stafford as if that wasn’t the plan anyway. Simpson was never a pick for 2026 or even 2027. Fans and the media tend to look at the draft with a 1-2 year lens because of the need for talking points and instant gratification. However, teams have to look at the draft with a 3-5 year lens. For fans and the media, it’s hard to care about what’s going to happen in that timeline while what happens now is the only thing that impacts what’s happening on the field.

After the Rams drafted Simpson, a team source told ESPN that it would be considered a ‘win’ if Simpson never started a game before the end of his rookie contract. Ideally, the draft is approached with a three year timeline in mind. The Rams were in a unique position heading into the draft where they didn’t have any immediate needs.

At the end of the day, Makai Lemon would have stepped in as the WR3 at best. A guard or tackle at 13 would have been a backup. Where would Rueben Bain fit in the current edge rusher rotation? If the Rams lose their chance at a Super Bowl because of their WR3, they likely have larger issues just as they did last year.

The Rams addressed their biggest need when they traded for Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson. Everybody knew that the biggest need was in the secondary at cornerback and the Rams addressed that in the best way possible.

Of course, injuries can happen at wide receiver with Davante Adams or Puka Nacua. However, it can also happen at quarterback. Stafford missed a game in 2023 and almost started last year on injured reserve with a back injury. The average number of starting quarterbacks who make it through all 17 games every year is only 11. An argument can be made that investing in a backup quarterback who can develop into their future starter could keep them in the race for the No. 1 seed if needed.

Before we all get *too* caught up in Ty Simpson discourse here, do remember that the average number of starting quarterbacks who make it through 17 games every year is only 11.

There’s an argument that investing in a backup that could keep a team in the 1-seed race is important https://t.co/gxnQosksDx
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) May 22, 2026

That also doesn’t mention the future flexibility and stability that Simpson provides the Rams. We are currently witnessing the Pittsburgh Steelers live through quarterback purgatory following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. By taking Simpson, the Rams avoid that. For better or worse, they know who their quarterback is going to be after Stafford.

Additionally, as the Rams look ahead to 2027, they were never going to be in a position to draft a quarterback. Even if there were as many as four draftable quarterbacks in the first round next year, all are likely to be taken inside the top-15. If the Rams win the Super Bowl as projected, it would be very difficult, if not nearly impossible, to move up inside the top-15. By addressing the quarterback position in 2026, the Rams can use their 2027 first-round pick for another proven player who can actually help them.

The Rams having a complete roster, Simpson not being drafted for 2026 or 2027, and the long-term flexibility he provides are all points that the media consistently misses when discussing how the front office approached the draft. Just because the Rams extended Stafford another year and Simpson may not start in 2027, doesn’t make it a failed draft pick or even bad process.

Again, you don’t have to like the pick. However, both sides of the argument have a solid case. Only time will tell which side was actually right and that likely won’t be until four or five years down the road.

We always talk about how young quarterbacks should sit. However, bad teams are rarely in a position to sit a young quarterback as they need immediate results. If bad teams aren’t built for a young quarterback to sit and good teams should focus on winning now, when is sitting a young quarterback acceptable?

At the end of the day, the Stafford extension changes very little when it comes to why the Rams drafted Simpson. Extending Stafford doesn’t make the selection of Simpson any more or less confusing. Simpson was always taken with the future in mind while the Rams addressed immediate needs earlier in the offseason. They made a long-term bet at the most important position while still having a roster capable of winning a Super Bowl.

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