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By Jordan Sigler
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The Los Angeles Rams received welcome news during Matthew Stafford's MVP acceptance speech in February that he would return for the 2026 season.
The Rams plan to go all-in to win the Super Bowl with Stafford this season, but hedged their bets for the future by taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
As Rams head coach Sean McVay said would be the case on draft night, Simpson is battling Stetson Bennett IV for the QB2 job in training camp. Bennett, a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2023, has yet to appear in an NFL game.
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ESPN's Dan Graziano provided an update on the battle between Simpson and Bennett. After a slow start at training camp, the Rams believe Simpson has been practicing better, and are hopeful he'll look more the part of a first-round pick when the pads come on.
"The Rams plan to carry three QBs on their roster," Graziano wrote. "Stafford and first-round rookie Ty Simpson are givens, but they like the progress Stetson Bennett IV has shown in what's now his fourth offseason with the team. Whether Bennett or Simpson is Stafford's primary backup is still to be sorted out.
"As for Simpson, the controversial first-round pick, the Rams believe he has been practicing better in recent days, especially in the team's padded practices, where they believe he's more likely to thrive because it feels more like real football to him."
Rams general manager Les Snead isn't worried about the pace of Simpson's development, as he'll be able to soak up the offense without the added pressure of trying to get ready to lead the team in Week 1.
"He's getting brought along probably in a healthy manner compared to a lot of rookie quarterbacks in this league," Snead said. "Maybe at the old-school pace. But I think it's been good getting to this point, I think as we get to 11-on-11, put on pads, that's probably where he comes to life, in those settings."
The Rams don't need Simpson to be the QB1 or QB2 this fall. Ideally, he'll beat out Bennett to become Stafford's backup.
While training camp practices are critical for Bennett and Simpson to gain reps, how they perform in the preseason will be crucial for their evaluation before the regular season. That's an area where Simpson should shine.
For more on the Rams and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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