Rams have left Ty Simpson all alone to shoulder daunting burden

The cheese stands alone. That's the last line of the children's song "The Farmer in the Dell." At the end of it all, the mouse takes the cheese. And in the nursery rhyme's final stanza, that little yellow wedge stands all alone.

Well, rookie Los Angeles Rams QB Ty Simpson is the cheese, and here's why.

How many members of the current roster did the team select in Round 1 of an NFL draft? If you named anyone other than Simpson, the No. 13 pick in 2026, you would be wrong.

After LA flipped budding star Jared Verse, a former 19th overall pick, to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Myles Garrett, Simpson became the lone Rams first-rounder in the building.

Unfortunately, not only did Simpson get a less-than-lukewarm reception, he now must endure the pressure of being the only player on the roster who heard his name called on Day 1 of the draft. That's a heavy weight on his shoulders.

True pressure falls on GM Les Snead, not Simpson

Simpson, of course, had nothing to do with when he was selected. All real pressure lies with general manager Les Snead, who chose to invest in Matthew Stafford's potential successor with the latter's year-to-year Rams future unclear.

The challenge for Simpson is that his predecessor, Verse, immediately paid huge dividends by securing Defensive Rookie of the Year. Since Simpson is expected to sit on the bench and learn from Stafford for at least the 2026 season and likely longer, he will not have an early opportunity to win over fans.

If Simpson is looking for a precedent, wide receiver Tutu Atwell offers a cautionary tale. After what was effectively a red-shirt rookie season, the fanbase grew impatient with the 2021 second-rounder, the Rams' earliest draft selection that year.

While Atwell did what he could with limited opportunities, it ultimately wasn't enough to curb disappointment or keep his place in the organization. Is Simpson destined for the same fate?

Hopefully not. Even if Los Angeles can lure Stafford back in 2027, his career is running down. Simpson is next in line to step into franchise-QB-sized shoes. Still in a multi-season Super Bowl window, Los Angeles has pushed all its hopes onto Simpson to take the reins when Stafford eventually retires.

Until Stafford hands off the baton, Simpson's most notable recognition will simply be his status as the only Rams first-rounder on the roster. And since LA no longer has a first-round pick in 2027, he could remain the sole representative for years to come.

As always, thanks for reading.

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