Rams: (#13) 1st Round QB Ty Simpson

[Tano]

OK. But if missing Adams was so important wouldn't his replacement have to be just as good in the redzone to offset that difference of him being out of the lineup?

Now I was a Cooper Jr guy, too. But I don't like the chances of either he or Lemon being that guy. The best chance there would probably be Denzel Boston who went in the 2nd round.

But I guess some would still be consider him a reach at #13, too.

Did you see my post that I am not sure that Cooper would be a good replacement for Adams only that I think he would be better than Mumpfield or Whittington.

 

[Ram Ts]

Sure but our two starters at WR have injury concerns (age and style of play) and need to be factored in. To ignore that is a dereliction.

You can say the same about multiple positions. Heck you can say that about Stafford QB1. At least at WR, we have other WR options - and can play TEs more or run the ball more. At QB, it’s all or nothing.
LT same thing. All along the OL. CB and other positions. It sounds great having every position with a stud and a stud behind them in case of injury. But reality (and the cap, roster limits, etc) say otherwise.

 

[Tano]

The question then turns to what rookie WR would be just as good or better than the WR being replaced or that are already on the roster as backups.

Goes back filling a position with a body with no guarantee the rookie is an immediate impact player.

I have already stated that I feel Cooper would be much better than Mumpfield or Whittington.

But that's just my opinion and feel free to disagree with me on this point.

That's just an observation and really I could be wrong or you could be wrong (if you disagree with me).

We won't know now. But I probably will look at how Cooper is doing on the (fricken) Jets.

But damn - that will be really hard to know for sure since the Jets suck so much.

He could do well since they suck so much and nobody else is doing anything or do shitty since they suck so much. It could go both ways on that team.

 

[Tano]

You can say the same about multiple positions. Heck you can say that about Stafford QB1. At least at WR, we have other WR options - and can play TEs more or run the ball more. At QB, it’s all or nothing.
LT same thing. All along the OL. CB and other positions. It sounds great having every position with a stud and a stud behind them in case of injury. But reality (and the cap, roster limits, etc) say otherwise.

I am not saying stud. Just a quality replacement who hopefully would be better than the one in place at that position.

Yes I am not a big fan of Mumpfield or Whittington. I feel they are so so and fine for what is necessary but if Adams or Puka goes down, McVay will have to rely on 13 personnel much more than if we had a quality replacement who would allow McVay to use 12 and 11 personnel as possible options.

I should probably add that we need to go the Vet route now for the 3rd receiver. I would love to get Allen. But will he be out of our price range.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Thing is - I never said I was banking on the rookie.

I just stated I would feel like we would have better odds if one of our two receivers go down.

It's a backup plan that I would hope work not a guarantee.

However, with getting Simpson there really isn't a backup plan because although I do like Klare and the receiver in the 6th round, they probably won't help at all if one of the two receivers goes down. And if Stafford goes down, we are screwed anyway.

But wouldn't you be banking on a rookie to give you those better odds?

 

[Tano]

But wouldn't you be banking on a rookie to give you those better odds?

Yes - what's your point?

There is a difference between banking on a rookie to be able to replace a receiver than banking on a rookie to give you better odds that he will be able to replace a receiver. Again I have no hopes whatsoever in Mumpfield or Whittington being able to decently replace Adams/Puka. When Kupp went down in 2018, we didn't have anyone to decently replace him in the super bowl and we only scored 3 points because of it. I know Belicheat did his thing but still think we would have scored more than 13 points if we had a decent replacement for Kupp. Josh Reynolds was too unreliable to be a decent replacement.

The draft is too much of a crapshoot to rely on anyone but at least you can hope that a rookie can be a decent replacement. Now if Adams goes down, we will have to rely on McVay's magic to score points because I am not at all confident in Mumpfield or Whittington to be the number 2 receiver.

Or we will have to give up a future draft pick in the middle of the season to get a replacement WR.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Did you see my post that I am not sure that Cooper would be a good replacement for Adams only that I think he would be better than Mumpfield or Whittington.

Ok. But then the question becomes how much better the rookie is as to make a significant difference.

Oh well. If there's a choice between a potential franchise QB vs. a potential rookie 3rd WR better than Mumpfield or Whittington then it's not a very hard decision.

The former is just so hard to come by while the latter should be far easier to obtain. They might even be able to get DeMarcus Robinson back during the final cutdown after all the WRs the 49ers added.

 

[Tano]

Ok. But then the question becomes how much better the rookie is as to make a significant difference.

Oh well. If there's a choice between a potential franchise QB vs. a potential rookie 3rd WR better than Mumpfield or Whittington then it's not a very hard decision.

The former is just so hard to come by while the latter should be far easier to obtain. They might even be able to get DeMarcus Robinson back during the final cutdown after all the WRs the 49ers added.

I hope you're right about Simpson because I have very low hopes that Simpson will be a franchise QB.

And that's why I would have gone with Cooper instead of Simpson. My belief is not very high in Simpson. I would have had much higher hopes in Cooper becoming a decent replacement. It's like me saying and this is an extreme exaggeration - let's get Allar in the first round because I think he is the best bet in this draft that could be a franchise QB. I am extremely worried that Simpson in his current shape will not be able to last an entire NFL season. I hope everyone is right that the NFL conditioning program will improve his physique so he can withstand the NFL hits.

But again, I am going to root for Simpson and hope he proves me wrong. I am going to say it again - Prove me wrong Simpson Prove me wrong.

 

[Coliseum Ram]

I hope you're right about Simpson because I have very low hopes that Simpson will be a franchise QB.

And that's why I would have gone with Cooper instead of Simpson. My belief is not very high in Simpson. I would have had much higher hopes in Cooper becoming a decent replacement. It's like me saying and this is an extreme exaggeration - let's get Allar in the first round because I think he is the best bet in this draft that could be a franchise QB. I am extremely worried that Simpson in his current shape will not be able to last an entire NFL season.

But again, I am going to root for Simpson and hope he proves me wrong. I am going to say it again - Prove me wrong Simpson Prove me wrong.

Well, since we don't really envision Simpson on the field for at least 2 years, he most likely will not be IN his "current shape." Don't worry, I think he will thicken out and put on muscle. He's plenty big enough at 6'1" 215-ish. QB's don't get hit like they used to. I'd worry far more about a Jayden Daniels type or Jaxson Dart type staying healthy than a Ty Simpson type, and they are both "bigger" than Ty.

 

[Tano]

I will give you a like on that. However, I believe and correct me if I am wrong, Jayden Daniels didn't get hurt in college whereas Simpson got hurt 3 times in his one year of college. That scares me that he is injury prone. I am hoping that those 3 injuries were a fluke and just bad luck.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Well, since we don't really envision Simpson on the field for at least 2 years, he most likely will not be IN his "current shape." Don't worry, I think he will thicken out and put on muscle. He's plenty big enough at 6'1" 215-ish. QB's don't get hit like they used to. I'd worry far more about a Jayden Daniels type or Jaxson Dart type staying healthy than a Ty Simpson type, and they are both "bigger" than Ty.

Too bad AD can't be part of our strength and conditioning team.

 

[Tano]

Too bad AD can't be part of our strength and conditioning team

We would have players dying during the workout lol

 

[DzRams]

Yeah but you can say that about almost every position on the Rams - if the starter goes down. Every other team as well.

Good point.

My concerns and questions before the draft were in order:

1) What's the plan if Stafford temporarily goes down? (If he goes down for a long time, the season is shot, so that's moot.)
2) What's the plan if AJ goes down?
3) What's the plan if one of Nacua or Adams goes down?


Since the draft my concerns/questions have shifted a bit but largely remain the same:

1) What happens if Stafford temporarily goes down in the beginning of the season?

I'm not sure Simpson will be ready at the beginning of the season, but think he could help keep us afloat if Stafford goes down in the middle or later in the season, provided he's back for the playoffs.

2) What happens if AJ goes down?

I feel slightly better because of the Trost selection, but we're still probably screwed.

3) What's the plan if one of Nacua or Adams goes down?

I think we have enough TEs to navigate this for a handful of games.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

We would have players dying during the workout lol

AD would be like....

 

[Coliseum Ram]

I will give you a like on that. However, I believe and correct me if I am wrong, Jayden Daniels didn't get hurt in college whereas Simpson got hurt 3 times in his one year of college. That scares me that he is injury prone. I am hoping that those 3 injuries were a fluke and just bad luck.

I think one was gastrits? Yes, he definitely got hurt last year, but I'm banking on things like bad offensive line/ bad running game having to do with his over exertion in trying to make things happen for Bama? Combine that with the stomach ailment and it's a recipe for disaster. Through his first 2 months he was an excellent NFL prospect, I'm banking on THAT, more than the second half. Who knows, you could be right, and that would be horrible for us if he was an injury case.

And Daniels might actually be the perfect example that helps my side. I much more fear the player who is healthy in college and found injury in the pros than the other way around. Think, RG III and Luck.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Good point.

My concerns and questions before the draft were in order:

1) What's the plan if Stafford temporarily goes down? (If he goes down for a long time, the season is shot, so that's moot.)
2) What's the plan if AJ goes down?
3) What's the plan if one of Nacua or Adams goes down?


Since the draft my concerns/questions have shifted a bit but largely remain the same:

1) What happens if Stafford temporarily goes down in the beginning of the season?

I'm not sure Simpson will be ready at the beginning of the season, but think he could help keep us afloat if Stafford goes down in the middle or later in the season, provided he's back for the playoffs.

2) What happens if AJ goes down?

I feel slightly better because of the Trost selection, but we're still probably screwed.

3) What's the plan if one of Nacua or Adams goes down?

I think we have enough TEs to navigate this for a handful of games.

Relying on TEs to fill thar WR role, in my humble opinion is not going to work. Gonna make our offense easier to defend. However that's also where the D needs to pick up the slack.

 

[Tano]

I think one was gastrits? Yes, he definitely got hurt last year, but I'm banking on things like bad offensive line/ bad running game having to do with his over exertion in trying to make things happen for Bama? Combine that with the stomach ailment and it's a recipe for disaster. Through his first 2 months he was an excellent NFL prospect, I'm banking on THAT, more than the second half. Who knows, you could be right, and that would be horrible for us if he was an injury case.

And Daniels might actually be the perfect example that helps my side. I much more fear the player who is healthy in college and found injury in the pros than the other way around. Think, RG III and Luck.

Just wanted to point out it was Gastritus plus the 3 injuries

Lower back pains which he took medicine that cause the Gastritus - not sure how he got lower back pains
Bursitis of the elbow - have no clue how he got that
Rib injury from a hit against Indiana CB Hood

But I agree with what you are saying. He didn't have good support so those injuries probably were the directly the cause of his troubles and I am hoping an NFL conditioning program will improve his capacity to avoid these types of injuries in the future.

 

[Tano]

AD would be like....

That is your best come back ever. I am going to put it in the hall of fame. You finally made it.

Edit - can someone put this in the Hall of Fame Quotes thread. I can't find it.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Yes - what's your point?

There is a difference between banking on a rookie to be able to replace a receiver than banking on a rookie to give you better odds that he will be able to replace a receiver. Again I have no hopes whatsoever in Mumpfield or Whittington being able to decently replace Adams/Puka. When Kupp went down in 2018, we didn't have anyone to decently replace him in the super bowl and we only scored 3 points because of it. I know Belicheat did his thing but still think we would have scored more than 13 points if we had a decent replacement for Kupp. Josh Reynolds was too unreliable to be a decent replacement.

The draft is too much of a crapshoot to rely on anyone but at least you can hope that a rookie can be a decent replacement. Now if Adams goes down, we will have to rely on McVay's magic to score points because I am not at all confident in Mumpfield or Whittington to be the number 2 receiver.

Or we will have to give up a future draft pick in the middle of the season to get a replacement WR.

I believe I've got a much better understanding of your point of view.

It appears that you value the overall impact of WRs far higher than I. So much so that it kinda begs the question of just how good you think Stafford really is if he needs so many, IMO.

BTW, Brandon Cooks was a pretty good WR. As good as Kupp was I'd say in that Super Bowl Goff missing his security blanket had more to do than the lack of talent at the position. But in the end, McVay had no answer for the Pats adjustment to his rushing attack.

 

[DzRams]

Relying on TEs to fill thar WR role, in my humble opinion is not going to work. Gonna make our offense easier to defend. However that's also where the D needs to pick up the slack.

I don't see why it wouldn't work. Here's a quote from a tweet a few pages back:

"Their WR3 in 2025 had a 4.39% target share and by week 18 they were in 13 personnel 66.7% of the time."

Sure, leaning on 13 even more makes the offense easier to defend, but there will always be negative consequences for a vital piece of the team missing time.

Can they temporarily adapt? Last year, McVay innovated with 13 and the offense continued to lead the league in scoring despite having a few games without Adams and Nacua. They can also adapt this year if necessary.