Rams

• The Rams made headlines by taking QB Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler cites multiple team sources who believe HC Sean McVay may have “downplayed” the pick to signal his continued confidence in Matthew Stafford. 
• One team source told Fowler that McVay is protective of Stafford: “He will be cautious and protective of Matt, and rightfully so. I think Sean is excited for the pick. The appreciation for the tape was the biggest thing.”
• Fowler cites one source with direct knowledge of the situation who said McVay and GM Les Snead were both “absolutely” on board with picking Simpson and that the two make all their decisions together.
• Another team source tells Fowler that McVay and Snead were in “lockstep” on the decision: “All indications to me were they were in lockstep.”
• There wasn’t a big inkling around the league about the Rams’ interest in Simpson. Fowler cites another team source who mentioned that Los Angeles’ front office was aware that if their interest leaked, it could’ve ramped up Simpson’s demand around the league: “[The Rams brass] knew that if it got out that McVay stamped this guy, that could have created more interest ahead of them.”
• There was also chatter going into the draft about the Rams eying USC WR Makai Lemon. Fowler’s sources indicate that the receiver was “definitely” in the mix for them at No. 13, but the organization was always committed to taking Simpson: “There wasn’t much debate — if Simpson was there, they were taking him.”
• Fowler also reports that teams were interested in trading for the 13th overall pick to leapfrog the Ravens at No. 14 to take Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane.
• Other players in the conversation at No. 13 included Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq and Ohio State S Caleb Downs, if he slid that far down. 

Rams

Rams GM Les Snead talked about how strong the bond between he and HC Sean McVay is and said the two are constantly on the same page.

“Our relationship, we’re in lockstep,” Snead said, via Rams Wire. “We’ve been together ten years, we’ve been together now for at least two hours every morning….from late February to right there before the draft, we spend two to three hours every morning together preparing for that night. We’re brothers, we’ll be brothers till the end.”

Saints

Saints HC Kellen Moore said once WR Jordan Tyson‘s medical checks came back the team was very comfortable taking him in the top 10 of the draft.

“Obviously everyone put a lot of stock into the injuries that occurred in his college career,” Moore said, via Saints Wire. “But we really enjoyed his film and the more time we spent around him in this draft process, we really enjoyed that, and feel he’ll be a great guy to put in that receiver room. We’re building a strength in that receiver room. His versatility I think is huge. He can play all over the field, he plays a number of spots. His release plan, his ability to attack the football. He just does everything right. He comes in this league and he knows he’s got to grow and get better. I love even his willingness to get into blocking on the perimeter. We got the right kind of guy.“