Free agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is weighing retirement at the age of 34. Garoppolo spent the past two seasons with the Rams, who seemingly replaced him this week with the surprising selection of No. 13 overall pick Ty Simpson. However, if Garoppolo decides to play in 2026, head coach Sean McVay is not ruling out re-signing the 12-year veteran.
On whether the Rams have closed the door on Garoppolo, McVay said (via Mike Florio of PFT): “I wouldn’t say that. I don’t want to say completely closed, but I would say this. You guys know how much I appreciate Jimmy and what he could really do. I always viewed him as a starting-caliber quarterback.”
McVay added that Simpson’s presence “probably lessens the level of urgency” to address the position. The Rams have an MVP-winning signal-caller Matthew Stafford, who is nearing an extension ahead of his age-38 season. Unless the Rams re-sign Garoppolo or add another passer, the untested Stetson Bennett is expected to compete with Simpson for the No. 2 job. Bennett joined the Rams as a fourth-rounder in 2023. Three years later, the former Georgia starter and two-time national champion has yet to take a regular-season snap in the NFL.
It goes without saying that Stafford and Simpson are locks for roster spots. It may be preferable to have Garoppolo or another experienced third option over Bennett, though the Rams have rarely needed a Stafford sub in recent seasons. Concussions and a neck injury limited Stafford to nine games in 2022, but he has missed just three since then.
Last season was the second 17-game season of Stafford’s superb five-year Rams tenure. That left just 18 snaps for Garoppolo, who went a year without attempting a pass for the first time. While Garoppolo is now one of the most established QBs left on the open market, whether he will re-sign with the Rams or go to another team is up in the air.