Rams most intriguing positional group is also their most controversial

As soon as the Los Angeles Rams ended their 2025 NFL season, fans were buoyed by the fact that starting quarterback Matthew Stafford had earned the prestigious NFL honors of Most Valuable Player. Better still, he told a worldwide audience that he would be back for the 2026 NFL season. With the proper financial incentives, of course.

But all of those glad tidings of great joy hit a snag. While everyone is optimistic and reporting making progress, the team has not yet reached an agreement with Stafford. Veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is contemplating retirement. Veteran Stetson Bennett is the primary backup quarterback for now. And the team just added two rookie quarterbacks.

It was expected, but somehow the trek to get to this point surprised fans.

Protests about the quarterback selection of Ty Simpson in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft have taken multiple forms, but the underlying aggravation is that some fans view the choice as not contributing to a team that is, for all intents and purposes, on the doorstep of competing for a Super Bowl victory.

Meanwhile, the quarterback room, despite becoming so controversial, is one of the most fascinating position groups on this team. So, let's dive in a bit deeper.

Rams controversial quarterback room is fascinating

Quarterback Matthew Caldwell (Texas)

Although an undrafted rookie, Texas quarterback Matthew Caldwell has plenty of promise. An NCAA college football gypsy, he was a backup to Texas quarterback Arch Manning in 2025. At 6-foot-4 and 203 pounds, he has NFL stature and durability. He played in four different college football programs, ending at Texas. But he grew a lot without much playing time with the Longhorns:

"“I’ve been developed more over the last eight months to a year than I have in four years of playing college football. I would not have this preparation if it were not for making the decision to come to Texas.”"

Matt Caldwell.

Caldwell didn't showcase padded stats with a high number of throws. But when he did pass the football, he had the type of zing and accuracy that NFL coaches are looking for. And he lands with a team that is built to build NFL quarterbacks. For now, he is the fourth quarterback on board to help with the workload in training camp. But he could prove to be more.

Quarterback Ty Simpson (Alabama)

LA finally has drafted its future franchise quarterback, for the first time under head coach Sean McVay. So why isn't there more joy? Where is the hype and hoopla? Well, there is plenty of excitement from NFL experts. Perhaps that is as it should be. After all, once fans witness what the coaches saw all along in Simpson, they will warm up to him.

The future is now. Simpson held the raw components that Los Angeles sought in a rookie. And the team has ramped up the coaching staff to a point that it is confident that Simpson will be ready to handle the reins when the time comes. Simpson is a pocket passer whose ability to scramble instantly elevates the offense.

The talent level after Simpson dropped off, and there was no consensus third quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft. LA landed the runner-up-ranked rookie quarterback in this rookie class. And fans will be thrilled to see Simpson operate in the pocket.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett

He struggled in 2023 and walked away. He returned in 2024 and has since proven to be everything LA wanted when drafting him in 2023. Now, he is the default primary backup quarterback. Over the past two seasons, Bennett has proven to be a feisty, never-say-die quarterback who simply knows how to manufacture wins.

While the team has made him the preseason hero, he has yet to throw a pass in an NFL game. That may change in 2026, if only to come in and mop up a game with a lopsided score. The fun part is that Bennett's passing helped place tight end Davis Allen, wide receiver Jordan Whittington, and even wide receiver Xavier Smith on the Rams' radar.

The same quarterback who helped to launch tight end Brock Bower's NFL career will work with tight ends Terrance Ferguson and Max Klare in training camp and perhaps even preseason. This will be worth the price of admission.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford

What can fans make out of NFL MVP Matthew Stafford? Throughout training camp, he suffered through a back injury that would not let me throw a football without pain. Yet, he would don the Horns days before the season to claim his starting role.

And man, what a season he had.

But does that erase the dangerous position the team found itself in? Veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett drove the team through OTA, training camp, and most of the season. That may not sound like a big deal until you factor in how long it took Stafford to find chemistry with veteran wide receiver Davante Adams.

That was a big deal, and it was something that resulted from no Stafford in training camp.

While Stafford had a miraculous season, it warranted action in the offseason. Nobody could fault Stafford if he opts for retirement at the end of 2026. But the team would have been caught flatfooted, as no quarterback was under contract for 2027 before the draft.

How will it all sort out? That's where the fun is. As always, thanks for reading.

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