Chris Simms spent most of the past week in London. On Saturday night, Simms attended an Arsenal match. Also present was Rams coach Sean McVay.
Simms returned to the U.S. on Wednesday. On Thursday’s PFT Live, he said he spoke to McVay about the press conference following the Rams’ unexpected decision to make quarterback Ty Simpson the 13th overall pick in the 2026 draft. McVay explained to Simms why McVay seemed surly.
“The reason he in the press conference was pissed off had neither to do with him acting or the pick but had to do with some sort of volatile situation that happened before they went out there,” Simms said. “There was some little argument about something. He assured me it was nothing like major, but he was a little peed off right there at that moment. That’s what he told me. I don’t think he’d have any problem with me sharing that.”
McVay seemed more than a little pissed off in the moment. (The following day, he conceded that he was “grumpy” at the time.)
Some believed McVay acted upset in order to ensure that the right message was sent to incumbent quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP. A team hasn’t drafted the potential replacement for the league MVP in the first round since 1967, when the Packers drafted quarterback Don Horn after Bart Starr was named league MVP for 1966.
The first game of the 2026 season will be televised by NBC, on Wednesday, September 9. The second game of the 2026 season will stream.
According to The Athletic, the 49ers-Rams game from Australia will be televised by Netflix.
It becomes the third Netflix game of 2026. Currently, Netflix handles two Christmas games.
The move meshes with Netflix’s desire to handle big events. With the NFL reportedly splitting four games it absorbed from ESPN between Netflix and YouTube, Netflix will be in line to get one more game for 2026.
The biggest new event for 2026 will be the first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game, which is expected to debut this year.
There are now two more known candidates for the Vikings’ General Manager vacancy.
According to multiple reports, Minnesota has put in requests to interview Rams assistant G.M. John McKay and Seahawks assistant G.M. Nolan Teasley.
That brings the club’s number of known requests up to seven: McKay, Teasley, Vikings interim G.M. Rob Brzezinski, Bills assistant G.M. Terrance Gray, Titans assistant G.M. Dave Ziegler, 49ers assistant G.M. RJ Gillen, and Chargers assistant G.M. Chad Alexander.
McKay, in particular, could be one to watch for the position, as he worked alongside Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell with the Rams. McKay was Los Angeles’ director of pro personnel and O’Connell was the team’s offensive coordinator when the club won Super Bowl LVI to cap the 2021 season.
The Rams declined the fifth-year option on the contract of cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, according to the NFL’s personnel notice.
The move was expected, as exercising the option would have fully guaranteed Forbes $12.6 million in 2027.
The Commanders made Forbes the 16th overall pick in 2023, but he didn’t last two full seasons in Washington. The Commanders waived Forbes in December 2024, and the Rams claimed him off waivers.
Forbes, 25, started 14 games and played all 17 last season, seeing action on 814 defensive snaps and 82 on special teams. He totaled 45 tackles, three interceptions, 18 passes defensed and a forced fumble in 2025.
Forbes, though, did not start the final two postseason games, playing only a total of 29 defensive snaps against the Bears and Seahawks.
Forbes is one of five players drafted in the first round in 2023 to have his fifth-year option declined.
The Rams grabbed headlines by drafting Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick and they’re adding another rookie quarterback to the roster.
Matthew Caldwell is on the list of 18 undrafted players who have agreed to terms with the Rams. Caldwell spent the 2025 season at Texas, but only attempted eight passes as a backup to Arch Manning. He started five games for Troy in 2024 and previously played at Gardner-Webb.
The Rams have also agreed to terms with North Carolina offensive lineman Austin Blaske, Houston running back Dean Connors, Vanderbilt offensive lineman Bryce Henderson, Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones, North Carolina offensive lineman Chad Lindberg, and Syracuse tight end Dan Villari on the offensive side of the ball.
Wake Forest safety Nick Andersen, Louisville linebacker Wesley Bailey, Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean, Fresno State cornerback Al’zillion Hamilton, Alabama linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green, Minnesota defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding, Tennessee defensive lineman Jaxson Moi, Missouri cornerback Drey Norwood, Wisconsin linebacker Darryl Peterson, Houston linebacker Eddie Walls, and Air Force defensive lineman Peyton Zdroik round out the undrafted additions.
