Ty Simpson could be the Rams’ biggest winner or loser of the Myles Garrett trade. It depends on Matthew Stafford.

The Los Angeles Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett with the Cleveland Browns on Monday was for the immediate benefit of Matthew Stafford. And every other member of the organization. For Stafford, though, the trade could be a direct nod to the time he has left as an NFL quarterback.

Stafford signed a $55 million extension for the 2027 season, but that may not be seen through given the state of the 38-year-old’s neck. Remember, he’s had an aggravated disc and a spinal cord injury within the past four years. The Garrett trade may be the all-in push for next season that allows Stafford to go out on top; Rams GM Les Snead’s solid to the man who made his career, after risking it all with the Jared Goff trade in 2021. Snead reportedly hounded Browns GM Andrew Berry and Co. every day for months on end to finally land Garrett. Snead gave up multiple picks, including a first-rounder, to increase this push.

Putting pen to paper doesn’t automatically extend Stafford’s career. Peyton Manning walked away from the final year of his career upon his retirement from the Denver Broncos and pro football following a Super Bowl 50 victory. Stafford may be set up to be the hero here, walking off into the sunset a winner, just like Manning was, having also walked away from big-time money. The Garrett trade was essentially the equivalent to the Broncos nabbing DeMarcus Ware the year before their championship run. And Aqib Talib. Garrett is that good.

The player who just lost any unsolicited villain status after this trade was the No. 13 pick of the 2026 NFL draft, former Alabama Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson. Many were disappointed that there wasn’t a win-now pick where Simpson came off the board. As USA Today’s Nate Davis pointed out, though, Simpson is a “winner” of the Garrett trade, since the memory of that disappointment has been usurped by the blockbuster.

“The Rams' highly parsed first-round draft pick and presumed successor to QB Matthew Stafford can now quietly recede into the background − maybe for years − without being saddled with a label that his arrival somehow equated to the opportunity cost of further loading up for an all-out Super Bowl run,” Davis wrote.

Simpson is a short-term winner, sure. But he could be set up for massive failure if Stafford doesn’t keep him in the background “for years,” as Davis alluded to.

Ty Simpson will have no excuses whenever he becomes QB1 after the Myles Garrett trade.

Garrett will be under contract in LA until 2031. Simpson will one day inherit a team with one of the best edge-rushers in the world. And that’s on the side of the ball he isn’t playing. Assuming it’s sooner rather than later that Simpson takes over, since Stafford has alluded to taking his career year by year, there will be no excuses.

Left tackle Alaric Jackson will be under contract for several more seasons, while running back Kyren Williams is under contract until 2029 himself. Assuming WR1 Puka Nacua is locked down, Simpson will have nearly everything he needs to succeed in Sean McVay’s offense. All the Rams need to do is solidify the center position.

On paper, Simpson is an undisputed winner from the Garrett trade. If he’s not ready for the baton whenever Stafford hands it over, though, he’ll end up a loser from this whole ordeal, and Snead will have had a rare misfire in his franchise QB collection.

At the end of the day, that first-round pick still could've been used on a different weapon for Stafford while he's still playing. And because Simpson was the pick, the team had to be aggressive on the trade front to bring in a top-tier talent to help in 2026.