Les Snead’s Boldest Rams Draft Decision Could Define 2026 Season

One of the more controversial moves of the entire offseason was the Los Angeles Rams taking quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. Despite coming off an appearance in the NFC Championship Game and uniquely holding a top-15 pick, the Rams used that selection on the future rather than helping the current roster.

The Rams need to put themselves in position to win the Super Bowl again in 2026 or many will point to that moment and say general manager Les Snead should have done more. On one hand, the Rams didn’t have any immediate needs entering the draft, but it was still an opportunity to upgrade at certain positions. If the Rams are relying on Konata Mumpfield again in a crucial spot, it would be fair to say that they could have taken Makai Lemon to avoid that situation.

Still, this isn’t a front office that sees this season as being Super Bowl or bust. That doesn’t mean that they are content with just competing. However, they also have to draft with the future in mind to sustain success. After 2021, the media expected the bottom to fall out and for the Rams to enter a major rebuild. Instead, they remained competitive and only missed the playoffs in 2022.

Despite the draft not being what fans might have wanted, this is still a roster that got better and addressed critical needs to get over the hump. Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano gave the Rams’ offseason an A-.

“It wouldn't be a stretch to say that coach Sean McVay has the best roster in football,” said Manzano. “But if injuries hit this team at the worst time, many will be pointing at the fact that GM Les Snead didn’t use his first-round pick on a player who could make an immediate impact and provide depth at a position…If McDuffie delivers and the Rams make a run at the Super Bowl, the Simpson pick will likely be forgotten until it’s his time to take over for Stafford.”

The Rams’ offseason will largely be judged by the end result and where they finish. It’s a big reason why many have graded the Rams’ draft so low. While that may be unfair, it’s the reality of the situation given how close the Rams are to a Super Bowl. If the Rams are hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February, nobody will care that they took Simpson 13th overall. If they suffer another heartbreaker in the playoffs, the media will point to this moment and call it a failure even if Simpson works out.

Drafting Simpson instead of addressing a position that could contribute now has put the Rams under a microscope. The front office didn’t do enough at last year’s trade deadline to help Stafford during an MVP season. If the Rams come up short again, the narrative will be that the front office didn’t do enough to support Stafford while he was still playing at a high level.

Snead has never been afraid to make the bold move. It’s that fearlessness that won the Rams a Super Bowl in 2021. However, if the trade for McDuffie doesn’t work out and the Rams come up short at the end of the season, Snead will certainly face a lot of scrutiny.

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