The Los Angeles Rams gave Stetson Bennett the night off in Thursday's preseason finale, starting Ty Simpson in his place. It was Simpson's first start of the preseason, allowing the rookie to feel what it's like to take the first snaps of a game.
Knowing he's probably the No. 3 quarterback behind Matthew Stafford and Bennett, this was likely Simpson's last game until next August. Things would have to go terribly sideways for the Rams in order for Simpson to play meaningful snaps, so the team hopes he'll be on the shelf for all of 2026.
He picked up where he left off in the first two preseason games, looking sharp and confident once again on Thursday night. The Rams moved the pocket with some roll-outs and play-action fakes, getting Simpson into
a rhythm. But there were also enough straight drop-backs to give him some pro-style looks.
He did a great job spreading the ball around, hitting six different receivers on the first three drives. He started the game a near-perfect 11-for-12 passing, and the one incompletion was a dropped pass by Tyler Scott on a ball that was slightly high. The Rams' third possession was their best one of the first quarter, going 79 yards in 17 plays, but they did come up empty after getting stuffed on four straight running plays from inside the 5.
Nate Scheelhaase took the ball out of Simpson's hands and ran it four times in a row with Dean Connors and Jordan Waters, much to the frustration of fans.
Simpson came out firing on the next drive and made his best throw of the preseason for a touchdown. He faced quick pressure from the Chargers, rolled out to his left and threw a dime to Brennan Presley on the run in the end zone. It showed off his athleticism, arm strength and accuracy off-platform, which are all important traits for a quarterback.
What a catch from Brennan Presley in the endzone! 🤲
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 28, 2026
📺 @CBSLosAngeles | 📲 https://t.co/R5m5kJYWYi pic.twitter.com/8zZMy6r9Sa
Throughout the night, Simpson was comfortable in the pocket, and even when he was pressured, he didn't panic. He didn't take off sooner than he should have, nor did he stand there oblivious to the defenders around him.
For a rookie, it was impressive to see him stand tall in the pocket and make throws when a lot of other guys would've quickly tucked the ball and run.
On his final two drives, there were a few more inaccuracies than earlier in the game, completing seven of his final 11 passes. He tried to force a throw to CJ Daniels in the corner of the end zone on third down in the red zone, despite the receiver being double-covered. On the next play, Alex Bachman was his target on a fade route, but Simpson threw it out of bounds and didn't give his receiver a chance.
He then had a coaching lesson with Sean McVay on the sideline afterwards, with the coach giving him a few tips.
Simpson's night (essentially) ended at halftime. He was replaced by Matthew Caldwell in the third quarter, finishing the night with another quality stat line: 18-for-23, 119 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers. His passer rating was 102.7, and he rushed for 11 yards on two carries. Simpson did have to re-enter the game late in the fourth quarter after Caldwell was shaken up on a run play, but didn't throw a pass.
He didn't take any real deep shots or push the ball downfield much, but for the third straight week, he took what the defense gave him. He checked it down when he couldn't find anyone open and allowed his receivers to pick up yards after the catch.
If this is the last time we see Simpson until next preseason, he ended his first summer on a high note with a solid performance.
Grade: B+
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Grading Ty Simpson's performance vs. Chargers
