Even though they have a long history together and just spent the past three years working together, Sean McVay and Mike LaFleur could be mortal enemies during the 2026 NFL Draft.
This goes beyond the divisional rivalry of the Rams and Cardinals. When it comes to the quarterback position, it's war.
All kidding aside, the Cardinals and Rams are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their quarterback situations. LaFleur inherited a rough situation and the Cardinals cut former #1 pick Kyler Murray this offseason. He has nobody. On the other side, McVay and the Rams have the league MVP in Matthew Stafford. But they might both be battling for the same quarterback in April's draft, at least according to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah.
Daniel Jeremiah hints that Rams, Cardinals could be top landing spots for Ty Simpson
Arizona is the team that makes the most sense for Ty Simpson. The question is when would they pull the trigger? The Rams are the other team I'd keep an eye on.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 31, 2026
If the Cardinals truly love Ty Simpson, would they genuinely take him with the 3rd overall pick? Arizona is currently one of the most difficult teams to predict in the 1st round of this draft because they have plenty of roster needs. But that quarterback need will cause you to do some crazy things in the draft.
Could Arizona trade down and still take Simpson? Would they be able to trade down all that far with the risk of a team like the Rams coming to get him, or someone else?
Simpson is considered a great scheme fit for these two teams, which makes sense given the fact that the offenses are going to be extremely similar. Situationally, the Rams would be a much better landing spot, but you can't blame the Cardinals for their desperation. The Cardinals just don't have the ideal supporting cast right now for a player like Simpson, who has such limited time on task at Alabama.
Trading down and still getting Simpson might be the ideal situation for Arizona, especially if they can pick up another 2nd-round pick in the process. They just feel like one of those teams that should be punting that need into next year.
The Rams, on the other hand, aren't going to be planning on picking this high next year. The 13th overall pick, which they currently own, is theirs courtesy of a draft night trade last year with the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the Rams have been opportunistic with a trade to acquire Trent McDuffie, and the luxury of taking whatever position they want with that 13th pick.
If Simpson is on the board, it would be tempting to see if they could get the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford. If he's not on the board, it might be because Sean McVay's old pal sniped him first.