Rams' newest quarterback signing offers more than meets the eye

Rookie quarterback Tyler Simpson is, of course, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback everyone is focused on after the draft. Not without controversy, the Horns selected Simpson at No. 13 overall, securing Matthew Stafford's heir apparent but passing on rookies more likely to aid this season's Super Bowl push.

Less notably, the team also signed former Texas backup Matthew Caldwell as an undrafted free agent. One of LA's 18 UDFA signings, it's more of a training-camp flyer than a move expected to impact the roster. Still, as long as he's on the roster, Rams fans might as well know who he is. 

Caldwell wasn't even a household name in college. If NFL fans know who he is, it's probably because of one play in overtime last October.

Caldwell brings plenty of football experience to Rams' QB competition

Behind a celebrity starter like Arch Manning, Caldwell was never going to gain much recognition. Scooping him up in the transfer portal, the Longhorns enlisted Cardwell for veteran experience behind the freshman nephew of Peyton and Eli. The longtime college QB won the backup job in training camp and the preseason and briefly found himself in headlines when Manning sustained a concussion. 

Caldwell trotted onto the field one play into the first Longhorns drive of overtime, in a 38-38 game against Mississippi State. He promptly secured the win on his only throw, a 10-yard dime on an audibled fade route.  

That ecstatic single play turned out to be Caldwell's last pass of the season, as he finished 8-for-11 for 72 yards and a touchdown. His most explosive play of the year came on a 50-yard dash at the end of a blowout win over Sam Houston.

The thing that appealed most to Texas is what earned him an invite to Rams camp - namely, his character, his experience, and his readiness to rise coolly to the occasion when called on.

Moments like the one versus Mississippi State showcased his "even-keel nature," as described by Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. When he wasn't busy being a hero, Caldwell made a habit of being the first one to congratulate teammates for their accomplishments.

Caldwell's presence loomed large on the Texas sidelines, at practice, and in the locker room. He embraced a minimal role on the field despite the stark charge from his status a year earlier. In 10 games as a starter at Troy, Cardwell compiled 1,608 passing yards, 18 total touchdowns (13 passing, five rushing), and eight interceptions. Before the 2024 season, he made stops at Jacksonville State and Gardner-Webb. You could say he is well-traveled. 

The Rams aren't asking him to come in and be Stafford's backup. He should be an underdog even to replace Stetson Bennett as the resident QB3. The organization brought Caldwell in for a look because he's earned it through his leadership, professional readiness, and time around the game.

Fans may not pay much mind to college QB2s, but scouts will take a second glance at a mature prospect at a program as prestigious as Texas. If nothing else, he keeps LA's SEC quarterback pedigree intact. Add a Longhorns representative to the two Bulldogs (Stafford, Bennett) and, in Simpson, one polarizing ex-member of the Crimson Tide. 

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