The first week of Los Angeles Rams training camp has already turned Ty Simpson into the center of the conversation, and not always for the right reasons.
That comes with the territory for a first-round quarterback, especially one whose selection drew heavy criticism after the draft. Every throw, every rep, every mistake is going to get picked apart from here until Week 1. And for Simpson, the scrutiny seems to have started almost immediately.
The noise began during OTAs, when a report said neither Simpson nor Bennett had separated from each other. Simpson had been in the offense for less than a week and had only a handful of live reps, but that didn’t stop some from treating the situation like a verdict. The same thing has carried into camp, where even a day described by Rams beat reporters in attendance as Simpson’s best so far still ended with backlash after a fan video showed him nearly throwing an interception to Emmanuel Forbes.
Social media did what social media does: it ran with the worst possible version of the play. One post even called for the Rams to trade for Saints QB Spencer Rattler, while another mocked the pick by pointing out that a team that was one win away from the super bowl drafted jimmy g in the first round. That kind of reaction says as much about the environment around Simpson as it does about Simpson himself.
The reality is that training camp is a messy place to judge a young quarterback, and the Rams don’t allow reporting on quarterback stats anyway. Without the play call, the route concept, or the full picture the coaches have, it’s hard to make sweeping declarations from one rep or one clip. A play that Rams beat reporters praised for Simpson’s athleticism and playmaking ability got dragged online anyway.
That’s why the bigger picture matters. Simpson does not need to be perfect right now.
In fact, camp is the time for him to be aggressive, to test windows, and to learn where the edges are. A safe quarterback who only checks the ball down is not the point here, even if a more aggressive throw leads to an interception.
What the Rams need is progress. Simpson is getting that chance, too, because Matthew Stafford is resting every other day.
The rookie is in his first week of training camp, and the mistakes that come with that are supposed to happen. He’s still working on technique, still learning the offense, and still stacking the kind of days that matter more than one viral clip.
Even the good moments come with teachable tape. On the touchdown throw to CJ Daniels on the final play of practice, Simpson showed off his arm strength with a well-placed ball to the back of the end zone. But there was also something to clean up: he faded off his back foot even though he had room to step up in the pocket.
Davante Adams showing the first-rounder some love at the end.
Had a beautiful downfield throw to Jordan Whittington earlier on the drive as well. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/7gOb2f9qpj
That balance - flashes on one hand, rough edges on the other - is exactly where Simpson is supposed to be. Pierce DeLuna of the 1st and Tuna Substack noted that Simpson has not been afraid to let the ball rip over the intermediate part of the field and that he moves through his reads without looking rushed.
His release and processing are still a little slower than Bennett’s and Stafford’s right now, but that should improve as the game slows down for him. Processing was one of his strengths coming out of Alabama.
Others around the team have also pointed to his growth, along with his willingness to learn and ask questions. The issues showing up now are more about technique than not understanding the offense. For a quarterback with only one year of starting experience, that fits the bill.
That’s the part people seem eager to ignore when they rush to label him a bust. Simpson is in the earliest stage of his development, and that means mistakes are coming. It also means progress should be judged in weeks, not in clips.
At this point, Simpson might be the most scrutinized quarterback in the 2026 draft class. A lot of that is about old opinions being dragged into the present and people looking for proof that they were right all along.
For now, the Rams are seeing a rookie quarterback who is getting more comfortable in the offense. That’s the real takeaway from the first week. As Week 2 begins, that progression is what they’ll want to keep seeing before Simpson gets his first preseason action.
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