Schefter: Rams were targeting Ty Simpson with 29th pick
· Yahoo Sports
Going into the offseason, the Los Angeles Rams had two first-round picks at Nos. 13 and 29. However, L.A. traded its latest first-rounder to the Kansas City Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie.
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But if the Rams didn't trade away that pick, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the L.A. was potentially targeting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at the end of the first round.
When the Rams sent the No. 29 pick to the Chiefs in a deal for cornerback Trent McDuffie, it had one unintended consequence that some might not have realized: It hurt the chances that quarteback Ty Simpson would be a first-round pick.
League sources say the Rams had been eyeing him, but more so with the No. 29 pick than No. 13, which they still hold. Had the Rams not traded for McDuffie and held onto No. 29, sources say that Simpson would have been square in the conversation to land in Los Angeles behind Matthew Stafford.
This could have a huge ripple effect on both Simpson and the Rams. Now, another team could draft Simpson to be their franchise starter, but might want him to play immediately. L.A., however, still doesn't have a true succession plan for Stafford or even a true backup in case he gets injured in 2026.
But it makes sense that the Rams were thinking about finding their franchise starter with their second first-round pick. They could use No. 13 to upgrade another position while securing their future at quarterback with the other. It also tracks because after the Rams traded away the pick, head coach Sean McVay noted that they still want Jimmy Garoppolo back and even talked about signing Kirk Cousins (who eventually signed with the Arizona Cardinals).
Simpson is a flawed prospect, but he would have enjoyed a nice redshirt year in L.A. before potentially taking on the starting quarterback mantle. He could still fall to the Rams at No. 61, but many experts believe he will likely be taken somewhere in the late-first or early-second to a quarterback-needy team like the Arizona Cardinals or the New York Jets.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Schefter: Rams were targeting Ty Simpson with 29th pick