Rams OTAs leave fans to ruminate on 5 clear winners (and 1 lonely loser)

The Los Angeles Rams havedisbanded OTAs, leaving fans with questions over who did and did not claim a piece of the spotlight. After all the exciting upheaval this offseason, the impact on the roster is tough to gauge in shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers. So let's sit back for a moment and take it all in as a whole.

Los Angeles is undergoing significant changes. How can it be otherwise? 20-odd players are pending free agents or extension candidates. The team will eventually need to transition to younger players at multiple key positions.

OTAs are the first hint of what's to come, and that's what makes a summary worth digging into.

Rams fans encounter mostly predictable (but still exciting) OTA winners, plus a loser

Loser: QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Let's get this one out of the way first. While the team officially lobbied for veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's return, the front office acted quickly to fill the void. Not only did the Rams select Ty Simpson with the 13th pick, they also added undrafted rookie Matt Caldwell. And don't forget about Stetson Bennett.

Nearing 35 years of age, playing behind Matthew Stafford, and facing three younger quarterbacks nipping at his heels for playing time is no way to enjoy the twilight of his 12-year NFL career.

Garoppolo could still sign with a quarterback-needy team, but his absence from LA's OTAs almost guarantees he won't be back for the Horns. Given how well he fit in Los Angeles and the limited opportunities remaining elsewhere, that feels like a loss for his camp.

Winner 1: Quarterback Ty Simpson

While fans are gnawing at the bit to see what Ty Simpson can do on a football field, coaches are more interested in how he conducts himself in the quarterback room. Remember the challenges in getting another young quarterback, Jared Goff, up to snuff on reading defenses?

Rest easy. Simpson is a full participant in breaking down video footage and analyzing defenses, which is exactly what coaches are looking for.

For now, he is studying the playbook and learning from coaches, teammates, and other Rams quarterbacks. That can be a humbling experience for a prima donna-type rookie. Simpson isn't that. He already appears to be making steady progress, a clear indication the Rams chose wisely in the draft.

Winner 2: Rams secondary

The Rams not only upgraded the talent in the secondary, they also elevated its versatility. Chris Shula has a brand-new arrow in his quiver of tricks. Expect to see a lot of disguised coverages early on this season.

A pupil of previous Rams DCs Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley, and Raheem Morris, Shula has a keen sense of how to scheme aggressively while masking what he intends. That's an excellent model for 2026, as the offense needs more support from the defense - and more big plays on that side of the ball - to find sustainable success. Now Shula has real weapons to work with.

Winner 3: Cornerback Trent McDuffie

All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie is more than a blue-chip player to add to the defense. His presence is already being felt in and outside the Rams' building, his approachable demeanor instantly endearing him to players, coaches, and fans alike. In short, McDuffie is getting the red-carpet treatment in LA.

Shula, his new coordinator, has a knack for optimizing top-tier talent. Much like Jalen Ramsey on the Rams' Super Bowl roster, McDuffie finds himself as the maestro of the secondary symphony. He's proven he can be effective from anywhere. That bonus benefit isn't getting enough attention.

Winner 4: Edge rusher Myles Garrett

Rams fans understood that Jared Verse had power and speed that allowed Shula to line him up almost anywhere along the defensive front. Now, Shula has one of the fiercest pass rushers in the game in Myles Garrett. Even better.

Shula elaborated on Garrett's perceived role as OTAs wound down. In short, Shula plans to optimize schemes for Garrett, not the other way around:

"Obviously, we're still going to have our principles with that stuff, but we're going to let him do what he does best, and we all know exactly what he does best.

You're not going to take Michael Jordan, LeBron, all those guys and pull them out of their comfort zone. We're going to work with him and put him in the best spots that we think for him and the defense to succeed."

Just like Verse (only to a higher degree of magnitude), Garrett is about to go nuts on opposing offenses.

That's what separates elite coaches from the field. Not only can they design their schemes to get the most out of the entire group, they can also easily tweak it to optimize elite talent on the roster.

Winner 5: Quarterback Stetson Bennett

Entering his fourth season, Bennett has scratched and clawed his way into position for the primary backup role behind Stafford. The writing has been on the wall for months. Some fans may never warm to the idea of Bennett as the true backup, but the proof is in the pudding.

Bennett is moving up the depth chart.

OTAs, of course, are the NFL version of Bananas in Pajamas. With that in mind, however, head coach Sean McVay does not toss praises willy-nilly to players who don't deserve it. He was more than happy to dish out kind words for Bennett:

"I've seen tremendous growth. Obviously, with Matthew [Stafford] not being out here based on the plan and the schedule that we've kind of thought was going to be best for him for now and for the long term, Stetson's gotten a lot more reps than he would've otherwise.

I think he's done a really nice job. He's earning the confidence of his teammates in terms of commanding the huddle. Then, he's done a lot of good stuff in terms of reading with his feet. [Associate Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach] Dave Ragone does such a good job with those guys as a whole, but both he and Ty have had good growth. Stetson especially, I think he's had a really good last couple of weeks, and I've been proud of him."

If coachspeak doesn't do it for you, think back to the 2025 preseason in which Bennett was the unsung hero. Then, he connected on 44 of 64 passes in just two games for 512 passing yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He led the Rams to a 2-0 preseason record.

Best of all, he proved to the team that wide receivers Xavier Smith, Jordan Whittington, and, to a lesser degree, Konata Mumpfield too, were solid fits in LA's offense.

OTAs delivered plenty of promising storylines that will remain relevant as the summer progresses. For now, the Rams sit idle between OTAs and training camp in late July. From what we know so far, there is plenty to look forward to.

As always, thanks for reading.

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