How Rams' trade for Trent McDuffie had negative impact on Ty Simpson in NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Rams are going all-in for the 2026 NFL season, as they're trying to capitalize on what might end up being the final year of the Hall of Fame career of Matthew Stafford.
At the start of the offseason, the Rams owned two first-rounders at No. 13 and 29 overall. They sent that 29th pick and some other ammo to the Kansas City Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, an All-Pro cornerback, in a smart move for the Rams.
But, as ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed, that trade has some negative unintended consequences for Alabama quarterback prospect Ty Simpson's chances to be a first-rounder.
"When the Rams sent the No. 19 pick to the Chiefs in a deal for cornerback Trent McDuffie, it had one unintended consequence that some might not have realized: It hurt the chances that quarterback Ty Simpson would be a first-round pick," Schefter writes.
With the Chiefs now picking at No. 29 overall, the odds Simpson goes in the back-end of the first round have dropped a bit. Patrick Mahomes isn't going anywhere anytime soon, unlike Stafford, who might retire after 2026.
Schefter is reporting the Rams have interest in Simpson, but with the chances of taking him with the 13th pick incredibly slim, the 29th pick would've been in play.
More: Puka Nacua, Byron Young, other 2023 draft picks expected to be extended by Rams
But now, the Rams aren't likely to get Simpson barring a second-round trade-up or a large first-round trade-down. And for Simpson, he's got one less landing spot in the first round.
Teams are not expected to take him in the middle of Round 1, as the end of the first round is the more likely range for Simpson.
A team like the Arizona Cardinals or the New York Jets could trade back up into the first round for Simpson, but until such a deal happens, the odds of Simpson going in the first round took a dip with this McDuffie trade.
Simpson got some bad news from the Rams and Chiefs trade involving McDuffie, which is an interesting consequence of the blockbuster trade that gave the Rams their new number one cornerback.
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