The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 24. He has not signed a contract. Minicamp opened May 12. Simpson was not present.
First-round rookie deals follow a tight slotting system under the 2020 CBA extension, which means the four-year value at No. 13 is functionally predetermined at approximately $18.2 million with a $10.8 million signing bonus. The holdup is structural, not financial. League sources familiar with negotiations point to offset language—whether the Rams can recover guaranteed money if Simpson is cut and signs elsewhere—and the payment schedule for the signing bonus. Simpson's camp wants the bonus paid within 15 days of signing. The Rams' standard practice is 30 days, with a portion deferred to the following March for cap management.
This matters because Simpson is not learning the offense. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur installs his system in May, not July. The Rams drafted Simpson to eventually succeed Matthew Stafford, who turns 38 in February and is entering the final year of his restructured deal. The plan required Simpson to absorb the scheme during spring work, compete for reps in training camp, and dress as the emergency third quarterback by September. Each week unsigned compresses that timeline. The Rams do not have a veteran backup signed beyond 2026; they are operating with Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo, who is on a one-year prove-it deal worth $3.5 million.
The business angle is sponsorship. Simpson's name, image, and likeness portfolio at Alabama generated an estimated $1.9 million in 2025, per On3 data, including deals with Region's Bank, Oakley, and a regional Chick-fil-A franchisee group. Those deals expire upon signing an NFL contract. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is simultaneously negotiating Simpson's first post-draft endorsement structure, which includes a shoe contract believed to involve Nike and Adidas bidding in the $4-6 million range over four years. Rosenhaus historically sequences these deals to close within 48 hours of a rookie contract to maximize leverage; brands want certainty before the player reports to camp and risks injury.
The Rams have precedent for late signings. In 2023, they signed defensive tackle Kobie Turner, a fifth-round pick, on June 3—11 days after the draft—due to similar offset disputes. Turner missed zero practice time because the holdup resolved before the mandatory minicamp window. Simpson is now past that threshold. The Rams' next minicamp session runs May 19-21, and California labor law requires the team to provide 72 hours' notice before a player can be fined for absence, meaning Simpson must sign by May 16 to avoid financial penalty under team policy.
What to watch: Rosenhaus typically closes rookie deals on Tuesdays or Wednesdays to allow for Friday introductory press conferences. The Rams have a scheduled media availability on May 22. If Simpson signs by May 20, he would be present for that session and available for the June 4 start of organized team activities. If the deal extends past May 23, the Rams will need to decide whether to bring in a veteran camp arm—recently released quarterbacks include Clayton Tune and Jake Haener, both available on minimal deals—or absorb the risk of running summer work with two healthy bodies at the position.
Simpson's Alabama teammate, tight end CJ Dippre, signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on April 26 and has already appeared in three rookie minicamp sessions. Simpson has attended zero.
The takeaway
Simpson's unsigned status past minicamp suggests offset language dispute, compressing his developmental runway behind aging Stafford.
nfllos angeles ramscontract negotiationsty simpsonquarterbackdrew rosenhaus
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