Why Seahawks Fans Should Celebrate The Rams 2026 Draft Class

Seahawks fans should be focusing on what their team did over the last several days, but don’t forget to thank Les Snead for what he did in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Rams first-round draft pick Ty Simpson holds his jersey with his family. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Six yards.

That’s how close the Rams were to taking a lead with less than five minutes to go in the NFC Championship game back in late-January. And that’s just one measure of how tight that game ended up being. A few plays after they failed to get those six yards, Cooper Kupp converted a third down by the nose of the football, which may have decided the game as well.

Obviously, the Seahawks won that game, and they deserved it. They led almost the entire game, they made a crucial play on special teams that ended up being a massive turning point, and there was a moment where it looked like they were going to pack it away late in the third quarter before a post-play penalty completely flipped the momentum.

But the Rams were still right there. And they knew it.

A Team On A Mission

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts with quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) after a touchdown. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Once they got confirmation that Matthew Stafford would return for the 2026 season, the objective became clear. Leapfrog the Seahawks and win Super Bowl LXI in their own house. Whatever long-term assets they had to give up, whatever money they had to spend, however precariously they had to stretch themselves, it had to be done.

They started the offseason like that was their intention. Some would argue that they accomplished that in free agency, where they landed two starting cornerbacks from the Kansas City Chiefs. They traded a first round pick for Trent McDuffie, then making him the highest paid corner in NFL history, and then signed Jaylen Watson to a notable deal.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) celebrates with cornerback Jaylen Watson (35). | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Those two could be worth six yards. But the NFL isn’t that simple.

What if Matt Stafford slips in 2026 and isn’t quite the MVP quarterback of 2025? What if DaVante Adams diminishes, or his recent history of nagging injuries erupts into a bigger one as age catches up with him? Even someone like Poona Ford wearing down could cause problems, and that’s not even getting into the potential of more fluky injuries.

So naturally, the Rams would be looking to reinforce their roster in the draft. With a good selection of picks to utilize, surely they’d look to maximize their odds of winning it all in 2026 by taking places that can help them now. Why would they consider doing anything else? Even in a draft like this, there were definitely players that could have accomplished this.

A First Round Backup?

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

And yet, when their selection at #13 overall was announced, the team did not have the stud slot receiver in Makai Lemon, freaky athletic tight end in Kenyon Sadiq, uniquely powerful but troubled lineman Rueben Bain, or even his collegiate partner-in-pass-rushing Akheem Mesidor. Instead, they had a new backup quarterback, Ty Simpson of Alabama.

Let’s ignore the fact that I don’t have a very positive view of Simpson’s NFL future, as I see an undersized and underarmed prospect with very little experience, not even on the level of a Mac Jones. Ty Simpson is not helping this team win in 2026. Even if Stafford gets hurt and Simpson is pressed into action, it’s almost impossible to imagine he’ll play well in that circumstance.

Most veteran quarterbacks the Rams could have signed to replace Jimmy Garoppolo, even down to someone like Joe Flacco or Tyrod Taylor, probably offer more immediate help than Simpson. It’s a bizarre pick for a team that should be, and seems to be, all-in to win now. And as a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, it was a highlight of draft day.

Another Tight End To Add To the Pile?

Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Max Klare (86) catches a pass in front of Indiana Hoosiers defensive back D'Angelo Ponds (5). | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

But the strange decisions didn’t end there. The Rams then picked tight end Max Klare of Ohio State at #61. He’s a fine enough player in my mind, but the Rams already had a loaded tight end room with Terrance Ferguson, Colby Parkinson, and Tyler Higbee. The only thing that makes sense to me now is the Rams trading Colby Parkinson.

That move would save the team some money, but it wouldn’t make them better for the 2026 season. Klare isn’t going to immediately provide an upgrade over Parkinson, and even if he somehow does, it’s not really moving the needle. Perhaps it’s a cost-saving move so they can re-sign their young players that want extensions, but again, that doesn’t make them better.

No Country For Old Offensive Line Prospects

Missouri offensive lineman Keagen Trost (OL51) during the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Keagen Trost, offensive lineman from Missouri, was a bit of a reach at #93 (I had him in the fifth round). The fact that he'll be 25 before he plays in an NFL game is concerning enough, but given that Trost is likely sliding inside at the next level, and the Rams are stacked on their interior with Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, and Kevin Dotson, how does it help now?

It doesn’t. And while I think both of their day three picks were fine, wide receiver CJ Daniels and nose tackle Tim Keenan III, I doubt they’ll be of much immediate use either. So, five picks, including one in the top fifteen, and I’m not seeing any impact on their 2026 chances. As fans of a team that has the Rams breathing down their neck in the division, that’s something to like.

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