Myles Garrett trade shines even brighter spotlight on Rams' Ty Simpson pick

The Los Angeles Rams’ decision to draft quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick was an instantly polarizing move. General manager Les Snead, who has built a career on trading premium picks for immediate impact players, made an unusual play to secure the team’s long-term plan under center once Matthew Stafford hangs it up.

Acquiring Myles Garrett in one of the boldest trades in recent NFL history has raised even more questions, while a Top-15 pick will sit on ice for a few years.

Mike Luciano and Lior Lampert of FanSided fall on different sides of the aisle in this debate. One heralds Snead and Sean McVay for thinking ahead, while one questions the decision to look to the future and go for a ring at the same time.

Rams' Myles Garrett trade calls Ty Simpson pick into question

Luciano: Rams fans may have wanted a win-now player like Kenyon Sadiq or Makai Lemon to boost Stafford’s receiving corps this season, as that would qualify as a “win-now addition.” Snead's “win-now” moves were trading for Trent McDuffie and following that up with the Garrett blockbuster, and the Simpson move shows that he isn’t totally worried about detonating the post-Stafford future in pursuit of a two-year title window.

Lampert: Yes, Snead swung massive deals for McDuffie and Garrett, but why not lean into the bit fully? Simpson doesn’t help maximize this championship window they appear to be all-in on, and there's no guarantee he will seamlessly replace Stafford. The Rams should’ve taken a player who can help them from Day 1.

Luciano: When you have Stafford and Sean McVay in place (assuming they stay healthy), there’s a baseline floor of competency this team will have. The Rams will likely not be picking anywhere close to No. 13 overall in the next few years. Not only would they have to hope a great prospect falls to them later in the Draft, but it’s also unknown how deep and talented the next few quarterback classes will even be. 

Lampert: The No. 13 overall pick argument kind of loses its luster when Simpson was widely considered a fringe Round 1 prospect (at best) in a weak draft class. There’s been some buzz surrounding the 2027 NFL Draft class of quarterbacks, and not just Texas’ Arch Manning or Oregon’s Dante Moore. Many of the future top incoming signal-callers will probably grade out similarly, if not better, than Simpson.

Luciano: Simpson may not have been my cup of tea this early, but McVay and Snead have earned the benefit of the doubt as far as quarterback evaluations go in my mind. Should the Rams also lock up Puka Nacua, they can transition to their post-title run era quite well due to a solid offensive line, great offensive infrastructure, and a possible franchise quarterback. Teams like the Broncos and Patriots found themselves in difficult binds for years due to inadequate preparation for life after Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. 

Lampert: Every other move the Rams have made has been dedicated to competing now. And in an ideal world, they get no more than two years to properly evaluate Simpson on a rookie-scale contract because Stafford’s still slinging it at a high level. Then, things get complicated and potentially expensive, or McVay and Snead face pressure to double down on football’s most important position if Simpson doesn’t prove capable.

Luciano: This move comes across as Snead saying, “Look, I got a few more years left, I know we can compete for a title with what we have, but I can’t just trade every asset.” Snead is trying a very difficult balancing act, but we’ve seen less successful GMs stick this landing before.

Lampert: Los Angeles can definitely win another Super Bowl as currently constructed; there’s no denying that. It’s just odd to see Snead keeping one eye on the post-Stafford era while so clearly investing in building around the reigning MVP. The idea that having Simpson on the roster made them comfortable sending a behemoth package to the Browns for Garrett feels so contradictory.

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