OTAs

from Impressions from Rams OTAs: Myles Garrett’s impact and Trent McDuffie’s ceiling

Nate Atkins

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7343513/2026/06/09/rams-otas-myles-garrett-trent-mcduffie/?source=emp_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.o1A.ManO.5P2Oc5X6XCJI

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams are on the practice fields again in preparation for the 2026 season, and there’s a buzz in the air.

All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie is here, following a blockbuster trade from the Kansas City Chiefs. And two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett is here, too, after a blockbuster trade from the Cleveland Browns.

Hope is in the air. And a sense of early pressure, too.

The Rams finished the third and final open practice of their organized team activities Monday at the team facility. A few themes are emerging.

Here’s what stood out:

…

Trent McDuffie is already creating hope

Even in light practice settings, McDuffie is making an impression.

A highlight came in 11-on-11 team drills, when Stetson Bennett was filling in at quarterback for Matthew Stafford. McDuffie had been going to battle with Puka Nacua in one-on-one assignments. This time, Bennett attempted to hit the Rams’ go-to receiver on an out pattern.

The two-time All-Pro cornerback jumped the route almost before Nacua could turn his head. McDuffie undercut the pass and corralled the interception before the ball could touch the grass, creating cheers from his defensive teammates.

“When you see McDuffie make that play today, it excites me for sure,” said Turner, the defensive lineman and team captain.

The Rams traded a four-pick haul for McDuffie that included the No. 29 selection in this year’s draft. They did so because they needed a playmaking closer, which last year’s defense largely lacked in three playoff games.

Part of bringing those plays to life for a cornerback is forcing throws his way as well as unsteady connections. That will sometimes mean lining McDuffie up on the primary target, even if he motions into the slot. It will mean rushing the quarterback into quick decisions that allow McDuffie to use his trademark instincts and aggressiveness.

That’s where the Garrett addition excites McDuffie, who spent the past four seasons in coverage behind three-time first-team All-Pro pass rusher Chris Jones.

“(Garrett) adds a lot of pressure to the offense, which as a defensive player I love. You always think about the offense attacking us, but now I feel like we can flip the script with a pass rusher like Myles Garrett, because he can do a lot of great things that cause a lot of problems for the O-Line,” McDuffie said. “You just talk about a mentality and a swag. When you have players like that who can rush the passer and disrupt the run, for us on the back end, it allows us to play fast, it allows us to play free, and it allows us to go and make plays on the ball.”

The Garrett trade wasn’t just about elevating the pass rush. It was about tying two blockbuster moves together in a way that bolsters both stars.

Backup quarterback battle is underway

The Rams searched far and wide for a backup quarterback this offseason. These practices have shown why.

Stafford has not been present for the two OTA practices open to the media the past two weeks. That is all part of a management plan the Rams have for him to ease his degenerative back issue.

In the past two practices, the Rams have largely rotated Bennett and Ty Simpson, with Bennett ahead on the depth chart. It follows the plan McVay laid out for Simpson, who will battle with Bennett to become this year’s backup quarterback, a role the Rams had Jimmy Garoppolo fill the past two seasons. Garoppolo is still a free agent considering retirement, and McVay said the Rams have not had recent discussions about adding him or any other veterans to the room for this season. They want to see what Bennett and Simpson can do under a competitive setting.

The two quarterbacks have been largely mistake-free in these simple settings, though both have missed a few throws, in part because they are building chemistry with players they aren’t used to running first-team reps with. After all, even though Bennett has been on the Rams roster since 2023, he has spent the past two years behind Garoppolo, who would take the starting reps in the practices that Stafford missed with his back issue.

McVay has yet to close the door completely on Garoppolo returning, though he has said since the Simpson pick that the need isn’t as strong as it was. The Rams originally prioritized using a veteran backup even though they planned on drafting the quarterback of the future this spring. They tried to recruit Kirk Cousins for a reunion with McVay, who was his offensive coordinator in Washington, but Cousins found a much larger payday and a potential early starting opportunity with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The role matters not just for this time of year, when Stafford needs time off, and the Rams want to run their offense efficiently to build up younger players in their roles, such as tight ends Terrance Ferguson and Max Klare and sixth-round rookie wide receiver CJ Daniels. The real value will be if Stafford has to miss a small amount of time in the regular season, as the Rams want to be able to tread water in an NFC West as loaded as ever and in a schedule that features seven primetime games and a top-five strength of schedule.

Whether Bennett or Simpson can rise to that level remains to be seen. If they don’t show it by early in training camp, the Rams could revisit the veteran market, but options will be severely limited if Garoppolo decides he’s finished playing. Russell Wilson just announced his retirement, Tyrod Taylor signed with the Green Bay Packers, and the market of proven options is harder to see. A trade could always be possible, too.

Ty Simpson is locked in on development

Until the Rams can get into padded practices with a real pass rush, it will be difficult to give Simpson live reps that look anything like an NFL game. That doesn’t mean he isn’t gaining something from this time of year.

“I think really just setting foundations,” McVay said. “You have to see plays when you’re saying them, otherwise you can’t call plays in this offense. You have to be able to see them when you say them. Practicing in the mirror, what does your voice inflection look like? How are you emphasizing certain things? How are you really being able to go through the mechanics of everything that happens before the snap? And then what’s my footwork?”

Simpson has a simple plan of attack right now: Show up, log reps, ask questions, soak in knowledge, rinse and repeat. He’s been asking Stafford plenty in meetings and getting the reigning Most Valuable Player’s full attention. The learning is his responsibility, as Stafford isn’t in a position to double as a quarterbacks coach right now. Still, osmosis can be valuable, and that’s what Simpson is trying to glean.

Thus, his plans for the month-plus of free time before training camp are fairly simple. He plans to stay here in Los Angeles, show up to the team facility, work out and review the film and playbook on his own, even as coaches are not allowed to offer instruction during the NFL’s dead period.

The Rams hope that Simpson won’t see a snap this season outside of settings where they are intentionally sitting Stafford during a blowout or inconsequential game. The focus is on learning for a player who started just 15 career games at Alabama. But they are encouraged so far.

“First things first. You want to see: Do they come in? Are they coachable? Are they willing to work?” new offensive coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase said. “And you’ve seen that from Ty from day one. Appreciate the way that he goes about his business. He’s an early-morning, stay-long type of guy, which you’ve got to be at that position. He’s coming with the right mentality.

“The more reps you get, the more that you learn, the more that you learn how to be in and out of the huddle, how to communicate things, what we’re looking for on specific plays, timing up your footwork to the progressions, and he’s done a great job of just coming to work with that mentality every day.”