Sean

McVay

Rodrigue, during an NFL Daily podcast discussion about the Rams taking QB Ty Simpson with the 13th pick in the first round of the 2026 draft, said the Rams have traditionally operated with a level of hubris uncommon in pro football. “I don’t say that as an insult,” Rodrigue said. “Because they have job security and continuity they have built a reputation of going and trying things, of shooting their shot.” Rodrigue described the Rams’ first-round selection of Simpson as “really surprising” considering the offensive line and defensive holes the team has to fill for 2026 and beyond. Rams head coach Sean McVay has said the starting quarterback job belongs to Matthew Stafford going into 2026, and that Simpson will compete with Stetson Bennett for backup duties. Simpson has almost no chance of playing this season unless Stafford, 38, goes down with injury.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the news, saying Kingsbury “wants to continue growing as a coach and learn more about what it takes to be a head coach in the NFL again.” This is a smart move. McVay has successfully balanced head-coaching duties while running the Rams’ offense since 2017. He won NFL Coach of the Year in his first season on the job and Super Bowl LVI in 2021. Kingsbury also ran the offense while serving as the Cardinals’ head coach from 2019-2022, though he did so less successfully.

One of the premier coaches in the league, McVay will remain with the Rams for the foreseeable future. It was a decision that likely came easily to ownership, who have seen their team go 92-57 under McVay’s leadership while also winning a Super Bowl in 2021. McVay has led the Rams to double-digit wins in seven of his nine years, and had the team within a game of his third Super Bowl appearance. While we don’t know the length of McVay’s extension, he will presumably be under contract when the Rams pursue a new franchise quarterback once Matthew Stafford, who turns 38 later this month, eventually calls it quits.

Richardson’s theoretical reset might take a little longer than that, but this is an intriguing scenario. ESPN’s Dan Graziano chimed in to say that he remembers “a couple of teams wondering whether Indy would be open to moving him during free agency.” Matthew Stafford began the year with worrying back problems, entering his age-37 season. He, of course, now ranks top three in passing yards (1,114) and touchdowns (eight), so there is no immediate need in Los Angeles and Fowler did not actually say that the Rams are interested in Richardson. Bringing aboard a high-upside prospect simply makes sense for teams possessing this type of player and coaching staff infrastructure. Stay tuned.

The Rams ultimately decided on a deal with the Falcons, which landed them a first-round pick in 2026 in exchange for this year’s 26th overall pick. The deal also gave the Rams a pick in tonight’s second round. “To be able to get a future (No.) 1 is a big deal,” said Rams HC Sean McVay, “to just move back 20 spots.” Rams general manager Les Snead added “The value going up there, teams were asking too much — more than we would give.” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini earlier reported that teams which received calls from the Rams believed they were targeting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who eventually went to the Panthers at No. 8.

Streicher will have many responsibilities with the Rams, but it’s notable that McVay referenced some of his more notable weaknesses as a coach when talking about what Streicher brings to the table. He even jokingly said Streicher will stop him from using his timeouts in the second half before he needs to. Streicher spent six years in Tennessee, holding multiple titles throughout his time there. The Titans took his work to heart, ranking near the top of the league in fourth-down aggression in recent years. Streicher was let go at the end of the season when head coach Mike Vrabel was fired. The hire should give the Rams a much-needed boost on the margins after poor timeout usage and fourth-down decisions plagued their playoff loss to Detroit.

After coming close to calling it quits as LA’s head coach following the 2021 and 2022 seasons, McVay, 37, confirmed to the team’s website this week that he’ll be back on the sidelined for the 2024 campaign, his eighth with the team. McVay is 69-45 as the team’s head coach. The Rams will play the 49ers in Week 18 as they battle for postseason positioning.

McVay took some time off to mull retirement after the Rams’ season ended and even gave his coaches free reign to look for new jobs. Ultimately, he will stay on board and try to recapture the team’s Super Bowl magic from a year ago. The 2022 season was a brutal one for LA. Three of their five highest-paid players saw their seasons end early because of injuries. Beyond that, their depth at receiver and offensive line was pushed to breaking points because of additional injuries. The Rams ended the year at 5-12, winning two of their final 11 games. With no first-round pick and limited cap space to work with, McVay will need to work overtime to get his team back to the postseason. However, if injury luck breaks their way in 2023, the Rams will still be a strong contender in the NFC.

Rams beat Jourdan Rodrigue chimes in to note that not all coaches on the Rams staff would be guaranteed to get their jobs back. McVay did not want to block his coaching staff from exploring opportunities while he made up his mind on his next step. It’s possible Raheem Morris could get snatched up as a defensive coordinator elsewhere, assuming Morris is unable to land a head coaching gig. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen already took an offer to return as University of Kentucky offensive coordinator.

Fox’s Jay Glazer reports on Sunday that the Rams are prepared for McVay to exit -- something he reportedly considered after the team’s 2021 Super Bowl run. One of the best young coaches in the game, McVay and the Rams struggled in their title defense season, finishing with a 5-12 record and an offense that ranked 27th in points per game (18.1). It wouldn’t be surprising to see McVay take off for a TV gig in 2023 only to throw his hat back in the coaching ring for the 2024 season.