Rams Still Fond Of Ty Simpson; QB Expected To Go In Round 1

Recent reporting indicated the Rams were viewed as in play for Ty Simpson, but such a pick was only believed to be a consideration when the team held two first-round picks. Los Angeles has since sent the second of those selections (No. 29) to Kansas City for Trent McDuffie, and Simpson-L.A. speculation has cooled since.

That said, the Rams mostly find themselves picking outside the top 20. The team prying the Falcons’ first-rounder (No. 13) on Day 1 of last year’s draft would give a franchise pondering a Matthew Stafford heir apparent addition for a while a window. Even after the McDuffie trade, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano views the Rams as fond of Simpson as a prospect.

[RELATED: Which Team Will Pass On 2027 QB Crop In Choosing Simpson?]

It still seems unlikely the Rams choose Simpson 13th overall. A one-year starter who would not contribute (in an ideal scenario) to the Rams’ Super Bowl LXI chase would be a risky move with a mid-first-round pick, but Graziano posits a trade down from No. 13 to better align with Simpson value could make sense.

Then again, a Rams trade-down move could arouse suspicion around the league re: Simpson. Teams eyeing a trade-up for the Crimson Tide prospect in the back half of Round 1 could be leery of the Rams, even if mock drafts (including Ely Allen’s PFR effort) are regularly sending receivers L.A.’s way. The Rams also look to have conducted a smokescreen operation related to Jaxson Dart last year, with post-draft reporting indicating pre-draft connections were overblown.

Some around the NFL are wondering if the Rams would make an aggressive move to trade up for Jeremiyah Love, per Graziano. That would require a major trade-up, especially with the Cardinals being connected to the Notre Dame running back at No. 3. Arizona has expressed persistent interest in trading down, however, and a 10-spot move up the board may not cost what it would in years in which that kind of jump is for a quarterback. Still, the Rams would need to pay a hefty price to climb that high; they may need to vault to No. 3 considering the Titans and Giants’ Love connections.

The Rams extended Kyren Williams last year, giving their regular starter a three-year, $33MM deal. Williams already secured nearly $5MM of his 2027 base salary guaranteed earlier this offseason, and the Rams used Blake Corum regularly as an RB2 last year. Love would provide much more support in the passing game, however, and the team has enjoyed success plucking receivers from later rounds — as the Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua picks illustrate — during Sean McVay‘s tenure. Williams is due another $550K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.

With Jordyn Tyson now viewed as a likely top-10 pick, the Rams may need to determine if USC’s Makai Lemon is worth the No. 13 overall selection. The team has Nacua signed for one more season, and before some concerning headlines this offseason, the Rams viewed the former fifth-rounder as a top extension priority. If nothing else, Nacua would be a franchise tag candidate in 2027. Davante Adams, however, will turn 34 before season’s end and is unsigned for 2027. A receiver investment makes sense for L.A., which would be loaded at the position if a first-round investment complements Nacua and Adams.

Circling back to Simpson in Round 2 probably will not be an option for teams, with FOX’s Jay Glazer expecting him to land in the first round. Some around the NFL are wondering — as other league personnel have — if Simpson will slip to Day 2, per Graziano, but it appears likelier (perhaps via trade-up) Alabama’s Jalen Milroe successor hears his name called Thursday. Will the Rams use their rare mid-first-round choice as the tool to find Stafford’s heir apparent, or will the team be content to wait another year on this front?