Rams' Ty Simpson gamble is looking worse as Super Bowl hopes take a hit

For a team that just lost in the NFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams were in a really good position going into the 2026 NFL Draft.

Matthew Stafford was coming off an MVP season, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams formed one of the league's top wide receiver duos, the offensive line had gelled, and the defense outperformed expectations.

To help protect against regression, LA had added to their defense, trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson in free agency, along with retaining their own pieces in the secondary.

And they were walking into the draft with the 13th overall pick from the trade with the Atlanta Falcons in the previous year's draft. A selection ripe with options for the biggest needs on the roster: wide receiver and offensive tackle.

Instead, the Rams chose to think long-term. They selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson to be the heir to Stafford. It was a decision that made sense at the time, but one that could now come back to haunt their Super Bowl aspirations.

The argument for this move was twofold: First, they rarely get to pick as high as 13 and only had the selection via trade, making this the best opportunity to draft a true first-round talent at quarterback before Stafford retired.

And second, they used their own pick to acquire McDuffie via trade. That allowed them to improve their team in the present while preparing for life after Stafford.

But now, halfway through the season, that decision could be what derails their ultimate goal in 2026. With injuries exposing a glaring weakness on offense, did the Rams make a costly mistake by passing on immediate help?

Rams' wide receiver problems expose the Ty Simpson gamble

By DVOA, the Rams are top 10 in the league in rushing offense, rushing defense, and passing defense. But their passing offense ranks just 13th, down 11 spots from last year.

Stafford won his MVP award with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. This year, he is on pace for 4,487 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also already has nine interceptions, compared to eight all of last season.

This all points back to the health of the Rams' wide receiver room. Puka Nacua missed two games in September and is now on injured reserve after sustaining a knee injury on Sunday.

Additionally, Davante Adams has missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury, though the Rams are hopeful they'll get Adams back soon. They face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, have their bye in Week 11, and face the Green Bay Packers in Week 12.

Despite going 4-1 in games with one of their receivers healthy, the Rams have had very little time this year with both in the lineup together and are just 1-3 in those contests. And now, they'll have to spend time without either one.

Best-case scenario, both players are healthy during the final weeks of the regular season heading into the playoffs.

Worst-case scenario, neither player is fully healthy as the Rams attempt another postseason run.

And that's where the decision to draft Simpson instead of adding another offensive weapon becomes increasingly difficult to defend.

4 receivers the Rams passed on for Ty Simpson

The popular pick in mock drafts for the Rams last year was either a wide receiver or an offensive tackle with the 13th overall selection. The defense had been fortified, and Stafford had just won the MVP.

Right tackle Warren McClendon had become a full-time starter during the season, so adding depth with Blake Miller or Monroe Freeling would have made sense. But putting a wide receiver behind Nacua and Adams was the clear choice.

LA's No. 3 receiver by receptions last season was Xavier Smith, with 18 catches, seventh on the team among all pass catchers. Not only did the Rams lack a third option when both of their starters were healthy, but they also had little depth to protect against injuries.

Makai Lemon (picked 20th overall), KC Concepcion (24th), Omar Cooper (30th), and Denzel Boston (39th) all spent time being projected to the Rams in mock drafts. All four have had productive stretches this season, with at least 20 catches, 306 yards, and a touchdown.

Each has already surpassed the numbers put up by Smith last season.

This same Rams roster with any of those receivers inserted would vastly improve the team. With Nacua missing time so early in the season they would have quickly seen action in the offense without everything being put on them because Adams was still there.

And now at this point in the season, they'd have the reps in the offense to carry the wide receiver room with both starters out.

Instead, the Rams have a quarterback of the future who isn't helping them win games in the present.

That doesn't mean Simpson won't eventually justify his draft position. In fact, the Rams' long-term expectations for Simpson were always going to come with significant pressure.

But the decision to prioritize Stafford's eventual replacement over another weapon for their MVP quarterback is becoming harder to overlook.

Ty Simpson decision could create even bigger questions for 2027

We know Puka Nacua will be out for a minimum of four games, plus the bye week in Week 11. If we assume Adams and Terrance Ferguson, who is also on IR, trickle back into the lineup over that time, the Rams might be at "full strength" by Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys.

That might not be enough time for them to figure things out and be a real threat in the playoffs. Despite the success last season, the struggles in the games where everyone was healthy indicate there isn't a solid footing for 2026. Even if the team makes the postseason, which is no guarantee now, they might not be good enough to go far.

So now, they look ahead. They've invested significant capital in the defense and their quarterback of the future, Simpson. They won't have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft after the trade for Myles Garrett, but that decision was made with Simpson in mind.

Unfortunately, the offense around the quarterback position is in flux. Nacua and four of the five starters on the offensive line are free agents after this season. The Rams have a significant amount of cap room to re-sign them, but they might have to make some tough decisions.

The selection of a wide receiver not only could have improved their team this year, but also protected them in case Nacua or Adams weren't back for 2027.

That future outlook, with the financial investments in the defense, makes the decision not to go wide receiver in 2026 all the more troubling. This was supposed to be their "all-in" season, but they had one eye on the now and one eye on the future.

The Rams didn't draft Ty Simpson expecting him to save their 2026 season. They drafted him to protect their future once Stafford decides to walk away.

But with Stafford still playing at a high level and the Rams facing a shrinking championship window, the decision to pass on immediate offensive help could prove costly.

Los Angeles may eventually get its franchise quarterback in Simpson, but what if the price was one final opportunity to win a Super Bowl with Stafford?

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow