Rams predicted to add potential Matthew Stafford replacement in 2026 NFL Draft

Rams predicted to add potential Matthew Stafford replacement in 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Matthew Stafford is playing some elite football for the Los Angeles Rams this season. He's leading the league in tossing touchdowns and passer rating and has a legitimate chance to win MVP.

He's also 37 years old, and it's important for teams to have a succession plan. That's the logic behind L.A.'s selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft from Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports.

Rams add Alabama QB Ty Simpson in first round of 2026 NFL mock draft

The thought process behind that specific selection is that Simpson would have a couple of years to sit behind and learn from Stafford while he's still at the peak of his powers, and then eventually when the time comes, Simpson could supplant him as the starting signal-caller in L.A.

From Yahoo:

"Simpson is a first-year starter and he plays like he’s been a kinked up hose, firing the football all over the yard and constantly looking to attack defenses down the field. He can sometimes get himself in trouble with his aggressiveness, but getting to sit behind Matthew Stafford for at least a year could let Simpson, who hasn’t made a ton of starts, continue to refine his game behind one of the NFL’s foremost gunslingers."

Drafting a quarterback in the first round when you already have an elite one on a contending team is a tough proposition, as there are assuredly other areas where the pick could be used to bolster the roster around the QB you already have. Plus, you run the risk of angering the current quarterback by seemingly not prioritizing his present.

However, sometimes it's the right move to make and can help with continuity. The Green Bay Packers, specifically, are known for doing this. They drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round in 2005 when they still had Brett Favre playing at an elite level and then they drafted Jordan Love in the first round in 2020 – the same year that Rogers would go on to win his third NFL MVP.

It worked out well for the Packers in those situations, but that doesn't mean that every team would experience the same success.

Overall, it could come down to how much gas the Rams think Stafford has left in the tank. If they think he can continue to play at the level he's playing this season for a few more years, they probably wouldn't look to add a QB in the first round. But, if they think the end is in sight, maybe they would.