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znModeratorWith rookie minicamps in full swing, here’s a look at what Raiders and Rams will be evaluating with Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson.
With @RandyScottESPN and @garystriewski pic.twitter.com/KYhXVeVAKW
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 2, 2026
…
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler spoke to someone within the organization to find out what the Rams want to see from Simpson at rookie minicamp, and it’s mostly the mental side of playing quarterback.
“I checked with somebody with the team about Rams minicamp and what do they want to see from Simpson?” he said. “They said just command of the operation, ability to adjust, process information. Those aspects are going to be his superpowers with the Rams. He’s not the huge Matthew Stafford arm. He wins mentally, so that’s why they like him. Les Snead, the GM, told me he likes Ty Simpson’s central nervous system. He just has the ability to figure out the game with his mind. They want to see that on full display.”
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams
The Rams made it clear through their approach that they viewed their roster as Super Bowl-ready entering the draft. That’s reasonable after losing in the NFC Championship Game last season, and after addressing their top weakness with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson at outside cornerback. But the approach also introduces some risk. The Rams have sky-high aspirations, and though the draft class didn’t add to that ceiling, it did raise the floor a tad. The moves for McDuffie and Watson should have them feeling like they’re firmly in the mix for the Super Bowl, so long as they can find some answers on special teams. — Nate Atkins
znModeratorMasters of the missed tackle 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/3sLpDBuoqY
— FTN (@FTNFantasy) May 3, 2026
znModeratorznModeratorznModeratorFresno State QB EJ Warner — the son of NFL Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner — was a tryout this weekend at #Chiefs rookie mini camp.
Feel old yet? https://t.co/zkzCvrdWa9 pic.twitter.com/nHVvMsR3uu
— Matt Foster (@MattFosterTV) May 2, 2026
znModerator(Another thing I left out is how the Tide passing game was infamously plagued by drops throughout 2025.)
From analysts in this thread:
Blocking and pass catchers let him down too often, including 30 drops in 2025 (second most among all Power 4 quarterbacks)
Receiver drops distort his accuracy numbers.
znModeratorRams’ offense set up for immediate, future success
Vincent Bonsignore
As the Rams plotted their offseason game plan, they did so with just minimal offensive roster needs.
The focus was on building depth along the offensive line, adding a wide receiver and clarifying their long-term quarterback picture.
Along that offensive line, they re-signed reserve tackle David Quessenberry, who projects as their swing tackle, and added Keagen Trost of Missouri in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They also used the draft to add Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels in the sixth round. He will get a chance to win a job as the third wide receiver alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Most importantly, they used the 13th pick to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Ideally, Matthew Stafford stays healthy and remains on board for the next two seasons, and Simpson doesn’t see the field until 2028.
In the interim, he solidifies the backup quarterback job, and long term, he is ready to take over when Stafford retires.
Here is a look at the Rams’ offensive depth chart post-free agency and the draft:
Quarterback
Starter: Matthew Stafford
Reserves: Ty Simpson, Stetson Bennett
The skinny: Stafford is coming off an MVP season and, thanks to the Rams’ training staff, is successfully managing his nagging back issues. The only real question now is how long he wants to keep playing.
The Rams alleviated some of that uncertainty by drafting Simpson, who they believe can be a quarterback they can win with down the line. Whether he serves as Stafford’s understudy for one year or two, they will pour development time into him in hopes of seamlessly handing him the reins when Stafford calls it a career.
Bottom line: Stafford is as good as it gets. As long as he stays healthy, the Rams are in great shape. But with veteran Jimmy Garoppolo still deciding his future, it will be interesting to see who steps up between Bennett and Simpson as the primary backup. And whether the Rams need to bring in a more established veteran to play that role.
Garoppolo provided a safety net on so many levels: not only holding down the fort as Stafford’s potential in-game replacement but also by supplying a high level of play in training camp and practice when Stafford took days or reps off. Not only to help prepare the offense but also the defense.
Running back
Starter: Kyren Williams
Reserves: Blake Corum, Ronnie Rivers, Jarquez Hunter, Jordan Waters
The skinny: The Rams finished in the top seven in rushing yards (2,152) and yards per carry (4.6) last year, a tribute not only to Williams, who had 1,252 yards, but also Corum, who added 746 yards. That is as powerful a one-two punch as there is in the NFL. And there is no reason to think there will be any falloff.
Bottom line: If Williams and Corum stay healthy, the Rams are in great shape at running back, with Hunter and Rivers providing depth and special teams ability.
Wide receiver
Starters: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams
Reserves: Jordan Whittington, Mario Williams, Tyler Scott, CJ Daniels, Brennan Presley, Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, Tru Edwards
The skinny: Nacua is coming off a season in which he posted 1,715 yards on a league-leading 129 catches. But multiple off-field incidents resulted in him checking himself into rehab. He’s been a constant participant in the club’s offseason program, a hopeful sign that the off-field issues are behind him. If so, he’s a top-three wide receiver in the game and in line for a huge contract extension.
The Rams contemplated moving on from Adams, but the more they reviewed the tape, the more they realized he still has a lot to offer. They are determined to do a better job getting more than the 60 catches and 789 yards. Although they will gladly take the 14 touchdowns he scored last season.
There isn’t much track record behind Nacua and Adams, as Whittington and Smith combined for only 36 catches. Daniels, the rookie sixth-round pick from Miami, will get a chance to earn a role as the No. 3 receiver.
Bottom line: It feels light behind Nacua and Adams, although Smith, Whittington and Daniels will get a chance during OTAs to show they can be counted on. Still, it would not be surprising if the Rams brought in a veteran reinforcement at this position.
Tight end
Starters: Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee
Reserves: Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen, Max Klare, Mark Redman, Rohan Jones, Dan Villari
The skinny: The Rams lined up with three tight ends — or 13 personnel — 30.5% of the time last year, by far the NFL’s highest rate. A personnel grouping born out of necessity to capitalize on short-yardage situations became a staple of their attack. And they are determined to tap into it just as much this year, with Parkinson, Ferguson and Higbee again serving as the primary trio.
The Rams added Klare in the second round of the draft, which raised some eyebrows given how stacked they are at tight end. But with Higbee and Parkinson playing on expiring contracts, it makes sense from a long-range perspective.
Bottom line: The Rams are more than equipped at tight end, with Allen and Klare on hand to provide solid depth.
Offensive line
Starters: LT Alaric Jackson, RT Warren McClendon Jr., RG Kevin Dotson, LG Steve Avila, C Coleman Shelton
Reserves: David Quessenberry, Keagen Trost, AJ Arcuri, Bryce Henderson, Justin Dedich, Wyatt Bowles, Dylan McMahon, Beaux Limmer, Austin Blaske, Chad Lindberg, Bryce Henderson
The skinny: Last year’s injury to veteran Rob Havenstein gave the Rams a long look at McClendon Jr. at right tackle, and he more than proved he was capable of providing sufficient play as a starter. With Havenstein now retired, McClendon Jr.’s 10 starts last year mean he takes over with ample experience.
That alleviates any learning curve he may have experienced and means the Rams essentially return their entire starting offensive line.
It gets dicey in a hurry moving forward, with only Jackson under contract after 2026 among the Rams’ starting five.
McClendon Jr., Avila, Dotson and Coleman are all candidates for contract extensions, but the Rams face some difficult salary cap decisions and likely can’t keep all four. They drafted Trost in the third round. His ability to play tackle or guard gives them some flexibility in how they allocate money along their offensive line after next season.
Bottom line: The Rams have plenty of time to sort out who stays and who goes after this season. As far as 2026 goes, they are good to go along the offensive line, especially if Trost is the real deal.
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znModerator69RamFan
I was listening to some draft personal for Cowboys, they were rating CJ anywhere between the 3rd to 5th round,
and the RAMs scouts have been following him since being at Liberty U according to CJ,
Since they filled in all of their main positions in what they were looking for in the draft,
as in their TE & T/G positions, their next hole to fill was WR.
my guess is that the RAMs couldn’t believe he was still on the draft board going into the sixth round so they traded up
While their 7th round picks were most likely to be UDFAs,
they figured they could get them as UDFAs. IMO
So, since filling all of their backup needs, they traded away their two 7ths to get CJ!!!
znModeratorI also assume, as I said, that a genuine dual threat qb is going to be preferred over what is basically a pro passer, albeit a mobile one.
i was going to add that as well. but when i found that clip, i momentarily forgot to include that as well.
i actually liked milroe last year and was hoping the rams might draft him.
We’re on the same page.
Good discussion in this thread.
znModeratori’d feel way more confident if simpson had beat milroe in the qb competition and had at least one more year of games played under his belt. milroe did come in the year before simpson arrived in 2022,
You add some important details. I will say I am not feeling unconfident at all, though as I already said my “feeling” is cautious optimism. Until Simpson actually plays games, though, we will all be speculating; it’s games that will tell us what they actually have in him.
I want to add a couple of bits. In addition to everything already said, Milroe was a full-blown dual threat qb who ran for 736 yards and 20 rushing TDs. Simpson as we know is very mobile but he’s not a full-blown dual threat that way. I assume that helped put him ahead of TS as a college qb.
My main points about all of this is that their numbers are comparable if you account for 2 things: TS’s injury in the final 6 games, and the bad regression of the Tide OL, which was evident all season. (Another thing I left out is how the Tide passing game was infamously plagued by drops throughout 2025.)
Given those circumstances, IMO we have to give TS some credit. I also assume, as I said, that a genuine dual threat qb is going to be preferred over what is basically a pro passer, albeit a mobile one. (That’s in addition to what you say about the coach sticking with Milroe for other reasons.)
That make sense?
And as I said, your points are good ones, good research:
that combined with milroe being the incumbent starter. if deboer, who had literally just been hired, demoted jalen, that could have torn apart the locker room. he instead pledged his loyalty to milroe as milroe had done for him. milroe was a leader on this team. he was the more experienced of the two and had backed deboer replacing the legendary saban. so how could he give the job to someone who had never been the starter at alabama?
znModeratorcoachkou@coachkou
Everyone wants their team to copy the Texans and Seahawks big nickel model, but one thing you have to understand, your CBs need to be physical and come up and tackle in the run game, not every CB in the NFL is built to do that.
Seahawks’Witherspoon and Josh Jobe
Texans Lassiter and Stingley
Not to mention the physicality of the guys they have playing big nickel. Everybody loves the scheme but their are some key factors that make it work.znModeratorit’s not nothing. and milroe at least in terms of stats outperformed simpson’s 2025 season.
did they run the same offense?
Simpson played with a cracked rib in his final 6 games. Plus the whole Alabama OL played poorly for all of 2025.
So, to compare Milroe’s whole 2024 season to Simpson’s 1st 9 games, where he played healthy.
Milroe averaged (running and passing) 274 yards and 2.77 TDs his final season at Alabama. He had 11 INTs for an avg. of 0.85 per game
Before he got hurt, in his first 9 games Simpson averaged 280 yards and 2.66 TDs per game. He had 2 INts total for all those games for avg of 0.22.
In many respects in 2025 Simpson, before he got injured, outperformed Milroe’s 2024 season (with the INTs and the OL regression both factored in large here). The 2025 Alabama OL was a well-known mess that had regressed heavily from its play in 2024. In fact they got the lowest average rushing yards per game in Alabama history since 1946. In 2024, Alabama averaged 173.8 yards rushing per game with an average of 4.63 YPC; in 2025 they got 104.1 yards per game rushing with an average of 3.4 YPC.
znModeratorMilroe was a year ahead of Simpson at Alabama and more experienced, though I was wrong about them not making the qbs compete, as your article shows.
Milroe is behind Darnold at Seattle so we don’t know yet how he looks as a pro.
znModeratorBlake Corum “Lil’ Demon” 👹 Rams Highlights 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/oQH3gP5jeG
— Rams Tapes 🇵🇷 (@RamsTapes) April 8, 2026
znModeratorWell is it at all concerning that Ty could not beat out Bryce Young in 2022, or Milroe in 2023 and 2024 ?
Was it ever a competition?
Sounds more like the coach just had his qbs slotted and went with it.
znModerator
Aakash Gupta@aakashgupta
Look at this Norwegian church. It has been standing through Norwegian rain for over 840 years.The trees were prepared for nearly two decades before anyone cut them down.
Workers walked into old-growth pine forests and stripped the chosen trees of their tops and their branches. The trunks stayed standing for fifteen to twenty years. The roots kept pulling resin upward. The pitch bled out of every old branch socket and saturated the heartwood from the inside.
By the time the trunks were felled in winter, the heartwood was no longer wood. It was malmfuru. Ore-pine. Functionally pressure-treated lumber, except the pressure was applied by the tree itself, for free, across two decades before construction started.
That is why iron was rejected. Iron rusts. Iron expands and contracts on a different cycle than the wood around it. After 100 winters iron splits the fiber and the joint dies. Wooden pegs swell with moisture in the same direction as the staves. The joints get tighter over time. Tongue-and-groove walls. Ground sills on a stone foundation. Four corner posts carrying load down through stone, never up through soil.
Then the tar. Pine roots and stumps stacked under clay, lit on fire, burned for two days under controlled airflow. The wood decomposes into pitch. The pitch gets reapplied to the church every 10 to 15 years. Including this decade.
Norway built around 2,000 stave churches between 1150 and 1350. 28 survive. Borgund is the best preserved because its corner staves rest on stone, not soil. The ground never won.
Modern lumber arrives at the construction site finished.
Borgund’s builders made the lumber finish itself.
Look at this Norwegian church. It has been standing through Norwegian rain for over 840 years.
The trees were prepared for nearly two decades before anyone cut them down.
Workers walked into old-growth pine forests and stripped the chosen trees of their tops and their branches.… pic.twitter.com/iIVNd2UPQJ
— Aakash Gupta (@aakashgupta) May 2, 2026
znModeratorTy Simpson’s Superpower: Processing and making pro-style throws
Wyatt Miller
Most NFL draft picks have at least one trait that defines their game and makes them attractive to scouts and coaches. The consensus opinion of those players’ top strengths by Rams general manager Les Snead and his staff are called their “superpowers.”
The Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He sat behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe for three seasons before getting his shot to start as a senior in 2025.
According to his college stats and film, processing and making pro-style throws are Simpson’s superpowers. Here are some metrics, highlights and quotes showcasing that skill set.
In 2025, Simpson tied for the FBS lead in big time throws, according to Pro Football Focus, defined as “a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window,” with 30.
The combination of Simpson’s high-level football IQ and strong fundamentals allowed him to process the defense quickly and deliver dimes accurately into tight windows down the field in a pro-style system. That stats illustrated just how well he was able to do that, and the fact that he finished with just five interceptions in 15 games means he did so without forcing throws very often.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford led the NFL in that same category last season with 58 big time throws, so although they play the quarterback position differently, the symmetry is there.
Examples
Against LSU last season, Simpson faked the handoff and looked right, but quickly moved off his first read and stepped up in the pocket before finding the crossing route and delivering a strike between defenders.
Against Vanderbilt, Simpson looked off the deep safety in a cover two defense and as soon as he drifted toward the middle, Simpson fired a laser to the receiver running a go route to hit him between defenders for a touchdown.
Watch the rip through, reset and anticipation from under-center by Ty Simpson.
Exceptional. pic.twitter.com/U9yXTd1mZU
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) November 9, 2025
znModeratorznModeratorValy@liderfiscal
Translated from Spanish
BREAKING NEWS 🆘The daughter of U.S. Republican Senator Jay Block: 🆘“Israel pays money to my father, and he spreads propaganda.
I am deeply ashamed of this situation. I believe my father has sold his soul to the devil.
I hope his career ends!”
ULTIMA HORA 🆘La hija del senador republicano estadounidense Jay Block: 🆘
"Israel le paga dinero a mi padre y él difunde propaganda.
Me avergüenzo mucho por esta situación. Creo que mi padre le ha vendido su alma al diablo.
¡Espero que su carrera termine!"… pic.twitter.com/hqfDCe7LtW
— Valy 🎩🎭 (@liderfiscal) May 1, 2026
znModerator“Vic Fangio fad that teams are going to play two high safeties…”
“…get in these big personnel groups and run the ball and FORCE them to drop into a one high coverage defense…”@ZErtz_86 explains why tight-end heavy personnel has SKYROCKETED across the NFL: pic.twitter.com/VnViQNTuuY
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) May 1, 2026
znModeratorFrom an Atkins/Athletic article that is posted here: (Rams post-NFL Draft roster analysis: How the rookies fill out the depth chart) https://theramshuddle.com/topic/rams-roster-ideas-issues-guesses-post-draft/?view=all
Wide receiver
Starters: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams
Top backup: CJ Daniels
Depth: Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington, Xavier SmithMany expected the Rams to prioritize wide receiver in the draft as they were lacking depth behind Nacua and Adams, each of whom missed three games last season. Instead, they waited until the sixth round to take Daniels out of Miami.
Daniels is a strong fit for a third receiver role after blocking in one of college football’s most physical offenses. Time will tell if he can be that injury replacement for a top option, as he caught just 50 passes for 557 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games last season, though he did play six college seasons….Daniels, whom the Rams selected in the sixth round, could find himself competing for the team’s No. 3 receiver role
This is how I see it too. Whether or not the plan eventually works, they took Daniels to be their WR3.
As already established, Daniels is a crafty and advanced route runner (who models his game on Adams) who has superlative hands and a great knack for catching contested throws. Plus he blocks.
And he’s more advanced than many rookies. He’s 24 and played college football for 6 seasons, and played for 3 different programs, which means he is used to learning new systems and excelling. Even though he transferred to Miami, for example, (to quote one draft report here) “he ran routes on 96.4% of Miami’s pass snaps,” and that “tells you the coaching staff trusted him completely.” That’s after transferring, so he acquired the system easily enough to earn 96% of their pass snaps.
So yes he CAN become the #3 WR as a rookie.
Here’s more on his qualifications. Quoting different write-ups from throughout this thread:
Sources in Miami program speak highly of his pro mindset and consistency in practice
He’s confident, crafty and focused
Smart, tough player and shows a natural feel for the position
Crafts separation with a deep bag of tricks.
Fluid hips and quick feet allow him to sink, snap off routes, and generate separation at the top of his breaks with consistent quickness that makes life tough on defensive backs.
put his tape on and you see a guy who understands how to play the position. His route craft is legitimate. He uses his lower body to deceive defenders, changes pace within his stems, and consistently wins out of breaks with quickness rather than raw speed. The savvy is real,
he is quick and sudden in his releases and at the top of routes, allowing him to consistently create separation on intermediate routes.
Reliable ball skills with just a 1.6% drop rate the last 2 seasons
Daniels has a tremendous feel for creating catch opportunities with varied route tempo, body control and late separation tactics.
His blocking alone makes him worth a roster spot
blocked more than he ran routes in one of the sport’s most physical and run-first offenses.
Willing and capable run blocker who Miami trusted as a move blocker in their screen game and pre-snap motion packages, consistently sealing off defenders in the ground attack.
You can’t guarantee anything but still, I would be surprised if he doesn’t end up being their regular #3 WR this year.
…
znModeratoraka this vid. I know James. I met him while bartending in the 80s.
These seem almost impossible. Terminator X is what??!! pic.twitter.com/Q3DuHeObh0
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) May 1, 2026
znModeratorDan Villari Welcome to the LA Rams TE/QB
from https://www.nfl.com/prospects/dan-villari/32005649-4c55-6907-ef93-a7ddd067507f
College: Syracuse
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 243 lbsOverview
Villari is a multi-purpose move tight end with competitive spirit and appealing upside. He’s a former quarterback who has grown into his frame. He’s not strong enough to block in-line, but he has the wiring and effort to project as a space blocker from the slot. The route-running fundamentals are behind but coachable, while his hands and catch radius are already working for him. He has average speed and excellent catch toughness. Villari’s gadget versatility on direct snaps adds a fun twist, but refining his talent as a pass-catcher will determine his long-term value.
Strengths
Dynamic skill set with talent to catch, run and pass.
Alters speed to sneak separation at break points.
Tough in traffic with strong hands to secure combat catches.
Can operate zone-read and throw out of that look.
Rarely stopped on short-yardage carries.
Determined and willful once the ball is in his hands.
Shows some strain when connected to a block.Weaknesses
Behind the curve with receiving fundamentals.
Still learning to generate leverage as a route-runner.
Needs to play with quicker sink-and-show on stop routes.
Allows clingy coverage too much leeway into his catch space.
Requires more work in the weight room as a blocker.
Needs to play with inside hands and better placement.znModeratorHe gets to the Rams at about 10:48 in.
znModeratorAt one key point this vid discusses how Simpson played the last 6 games of 2025 with a cracked rib. That sounds familiar. Bulger played with 2 broken ribs in 2007.
Ty has already been bulgerized.
znModeratorznModeratorAccording to PFF, Trost was the nation’s best run blocker with a grade of 91.4. He ranked 27th among all offensive linemen who played at least 542 snaps. If you narrow the field to tackles only, Trost improves to eighth at his position group. He allowed just seven pressures, one sack, and four penalties on 432 snaps in pass protection. Overall Trost ranked first in PFF offensive grade among tackles and all linemen last season.
znModeratorJonah Tuls@JonahTuls
Just got to the tape of Missouri RT Keagen Trost and I can’t believe that people aren’t talking about him more. His film is outstanding. Love his mean streak and movement skills in the run game + he went through the gauntlet of SEC rushers (Howell, Faulk, Crawford, Stewart, Rhodes, Pierre, etc.) – he gets to his landmarks well and has a very good anchor.Think he’s best for a zone blocking scheme – I didn’t see the stiffness or pad level concerns that some flagged. Needs to clean up his footwork, but there really isn’t a fatal flaw in his game. Gonna have a hard time convincing me that Trost isn’t a Day 2 player.
znModeratorWhat makes me think he CAN work out (though I didn’t say “will”).
* played in a pro style offense and has a football brain that’s like Stafford and McVay, just with less in it so far
* can run and throw on the run…which both adds something to the offense we don’t have with Stafford, and also helps a young qb move the chains when inexperience clogs things up
* has a good enough arm and decent accuracy
* is known as a fast processor
* Rams have the coaching. Ragone, Scheelhaase, Kingsbury, and that Mc-whatzhizzname guy.
Do I LIKE him? Not yet. I need to see him in games.
But until then I will remain cautiously optimistic.
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