There's major Falcons irony with Rams' pick of Ty Simpson after Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr. saga
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There's major Falcons irony with Rams' pick of Ty Simpson after Kirk Cousins, Michael Penix Jr. saga originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Falcons have seen this movie before, at least in part, and they contributed to the Los Angeles Rams being the latest actor in it.
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This scene stars Alabama QB Ty Simpson, who was the No. 13 overall pick by the Rams on Thursday night. It was the surprise of the 2026 NFL Draft first round.
The story doesn't start there, though.
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Part of its origin is the 2025 NFL Draft, when the Falcons traded a second-round pick, a seventh-round pick and their 2026 first-rounder for the Rams' 2025 first- and third-round picks.
Atlanta used the first-rounder last year to get edge rusher James Pearce.
The Rams got the 13th pick this year out of the equation and used it on Simpson.
It was a risky trade by Atlanta at the time, one they hoped wouldn't look as bad if they were good and their pick was further down the board. But they missed the playoffs, and it was in a great spot for the Rams.
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Then the Rams followed the Falcons' 2024 draft playbook.
That year, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in free agency and then drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the top-10. It created an odd QB controversy, one that ended in Cousins' benching by the end of that season.
Matthew Stafford has already been with the Rams, and he's less likely to be benched than Cousins was, but it still creates some odd talking points.
Rams coach Sean McVay didn't give an amazing, glowing assessment of the pick afterward, either, only adding to the early drama.
It's just a fascinating irony that, of all teams, it's the Falcons who have helped the Rams enter into this curious situation that probably won't be resolved for a while.