The made headlines on Thursday by shockingly selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Many were confused by the move, considering that drafting Matthew Staffords backup signal-caller isnt the smartest win-now mode for a Rams franchise fresh off an NFC championship appearance. Still, the Rams went with their gut and drafted the 23-year-old in the opening round of the draft. A month before adding Simpson to the fold, though, the Rams signing veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. The uncertainty around Jimmy Garoppolo's future played a role, too, ESPNs Jeremy Fowler said Friday. The team knew in March that retirement was a po sibility for Garoppolo, a free agent, effectively leaving Los Angeles without its steady backup Pooka Williams Jr. Jersey . During free agency, a source says the Rams made overtures to sign free agent quarterback Joe Flacco, who ultimately returned to Cincinnati ( ) on a one-year deal. All of this set the stage for the Rams to take their big swing, even if virtually none of the high-profile mock drafts pegged Simpson to Los Angeles." Simpson didn't truly know what the Rams would do but felt good about their presence, along with Arizona's. His working range all along was Nos. 11 to 30 in Round 1. Despite his advanced age (41), Flacco is still a serviceable quarterback capable of getting hot and playing impactful football at the most important position in the sport. Take the 2023-24 season, for example, as the 6-foot-6 Super Bowl winner pa sed for 250+ yards and at least two touchdowns during the final five games of the regular season, helping the franchise clinch a spot in the postseason. Flacco, who appeared in nine games for the Bengals last season, ultimately re-signed with Cincinnati earlier this offseason. With Flacco off the board, Los Angeles pursuit of Simpson intensified, resulting in the Second-team All-SEC becoming a Ram in late April. More NFL: Isi Holani Jersey