Stafford, Simpson and a QB-in-waiting dilemma: McVay must be 'careful' | Opinion

Sean McVay doesn’t dispute that in the aftermath of the first-round selection of quarterback Ty Simpson on Thursday night his reserved body language wasn’t what we’ve come to expect from the high-energy Los Angeles Rams coach. As he described later, he surely gave off a “grumpy” vibe during the draft night press conference. Yet his disposition, McVay explained, was more about his MVP quarterback, Matthew Stafford, than it was to reflect that he wasn’t in agreement with GM Les Snead in drafting the Alabama product with the 13th pick overall.

No matter. Amid super-hyped coverage of the NFL draft, McVay quickly found himself in damage-control mode as reaction spread. “Totally overblown,” McVay wrote of the reaction in a text to USA TODAY Sports.

McVay maintained he is “very excited” about the pick of Simpson but had a key reason to curb enthusiasm: “Was being careful not to be disrespectful to Matthew,” he said. I’ll take McVay at his word on this, given the delicate balance that in some cases must be navigated when a team with an established quarterback drafts an heir apparent. No, Simpson hardly poses a threat at this point to Stafford, 38, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams and just won NFL MVP honors for the first time in his career.

And Stafford doesn’t strike me as the over-sensitive type. Yet McVay knows. These situations can get a bit sticky.