Ty Simpson Is Signed. Now the Real Work Starts.

The last piece of Rams paperwork got done Friday. Ty Simpson, the No. 13 overall pick, agreed to his four-year rookie contract just before training camp opens — the final 2026 first-rounder to sign, and the move that formally closes out the Rams' draft class. Roster assembled, at least on paper.

Simpson slots in third on the quarterback depth chart behind Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett, which is exactly where a developmental rookie should be. The signing matters less for what he'll do in 2026 than for what he represents: the organization is thinking past Stafford, who turns 38 this season. That succession question isn't urgent yet, but it's real, and having Simpson under contract and in camp is the right first step.

What the signing doesn't solve is the more pressing backup problem. Stafford is the only quarterback on this roster who has played meaningful snaps, and that's a vulnerability the front office still needs to address. I wrote last week about Puka Nacua's contract being the most urgent item on the offseason checklist — that remains true — but the backup QB situation runs a close second. The Rams have a name to develop in Simpson; they still need a name who can actually play if something goes wrong with Stafford.

So: good news Friday, routine business handled, camp can open clean. The harder conversations — Nacua's extension, veteran QB depth, the thin secondary behind Kam Curl — those don't get easier just because the rookie paperwork is done.