Ty Simpson continues to impress as Rams hold off Chargers, shaping the QB pecking order

The Los Angeles Rams’ preseason keeps providing contrast in how they evaluate depth, and Thursday night’s 20-18 win over the Chargers offered another example. Ty Simpson put together another strong performance, giving the Rams a clear talking point from their second unit play, even though the game itself was not designed to be a full-roster measuring stick.

Simpson’s showing, according to Yahoo Sports’ takeaways, again pointed toward him being the likely No. 3 quarterback on the Rams’ roster. That is a meaningful job in an offense that often turns on continuity, because the No. 3 spot is the option the coaching staff counts on if the top two are unavailable and game-management reps become urgent rather than routine.

The context matters, too. Yahoo Sports notes that Sean McVay does not play starters, or players expected to be significant backups or contributors, especially in the final preseason game. In practical terms, that approach reduces the noise around who “looked good” and who “didn’t” with first-team players, but it also increases the value of efficiency and decision-making from the third-string battle.

Simpson’s continued production is therefore less about what it says on a highlight reel and more about what it suggests about the Rams’ internal depth hierarchy. If the coaching staff sees steady competence in the same role over multiple appearances, it tends to carry more weight than one standout outing where the surrounding personnel differs.

Still, preseason roles can shift. The Rams have other quarterbacks and depth options who could push in practice or in earlier/remaining preseason opportunities not covered by this specific game. Simpson’s path, as framed in this report, is not that he has locked the job in permanently, but that his performance is building a case that aligns with how McVay has chosen to use the roster.

For Rams fans, the immediate watch items are straightforward: whether Simpson’s processing and command hold up in the same spot week-to-week, and whether the Rams maintain a consistent plan for the third quarterback reps. If he continues to be the clearest separation point among the depth report-callers, he could become the depth piece the team trusts most once the regular-season roster is set.

For the Chargers, the matchup is an evaluation snapshot of their own depth and defensive matchups, but the preseason takeaway emphasized in this report is more about the Rams’ quarterback pecking order than any single Chargers performance. As training camp and preseason run their course, these kinds of depth games often decide who starts the season as a comfortable option rather than an afterthought.