# McVay still undecided on Stafford’s backup

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-08-25 03:07 UTC · Category: Sports

## Executive Summary
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay remains undecided on who will serve as the primary backup to quarterback Matthew Stafford.

## Intelligence Brief
The Los Angeles Rams are currently facing a decision regarding their roster depth at the quarterback position. Head coach Sean McVay has stated that he is still undecided on who will serve as the backup to starter Matthew Stafford. The competition for the QB2 role primarily involves Stetson Bennett IV and rookie quarterback Ty Simpson. While the final decision is pending, the team is utilizing preseason opportunities to evaluate both players. According to reporting from NBC Sports, Ty Simpson is guaranteed to play in the preseason finale, which will provide further data for the coaching staff before the final roster cuts are made. Coverage of the situation is widespread across several sports media outlets.


NBC Sports has highlighted McVay's indecision and Simpson's upcoming playing time in the final preseason game. CBS Sports specifically reports that the decision regarding Stetson Bennett's role as the backup quarterback remains undetermined. Meanwhile, Yahoo Sports notes that while Ty Simpson has performed well in recent outings, he appears to be trailing Bennett in the hierarchy for the backup position. Additionally, Rams Wire reports that the distribution of practice repetitions is providing hints regarding which player is currently leading the competition for the job. This situation is critical because the backup quarterback must be prepared to step in for Matthew Stafford to maintain the team's offensive stability. The contrast between the candidates is a key point of interest: Stetson Bennett IV is an established presence on the roster, whereas Ty Simpson is a rookie attempting to climb the depth chart.


The tension between Simpson's positive play during the preseason and Bennett's perceived lead in the battle creates a dynamic where the coaching staff must weigh current momentum against historical performance and experience within the Rams' system. Observers are now focusing on the upcoming preseason finale to see if Ty Simpson can close the gap. Based on the reports from NBC Sports, this game will be a definitive appearance for the rookie. The final determination by Sean McVay will depend on the results of this game and the patterns of practice reps cited by Rams Wire.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Sean McVay talks roster moves, allocating reps to Stetson Bennett IV & Ty Simpson, the importance of trust & more | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivgFBVV95cUxOWDlxb1p4WnpzVnVuT0lxdmNnbFVramlLVVFPTDE2OExZeHJCR1F4RHJIQzZXYS0wWFNQN2JUM3E0WUN2LTVXUWJvOTdKU3FtWEVQcnZIdVNQU2NFTkZGeDREYmswQnZOMmMwRW85aDhCa3dmUDczdVVWV1k0MEpjQUZsLUN0RE5Dcm0yRmNld09TX1JiWnpnRmg3Y1hLQzJKeVhKMHM0OERtU21STTMyX29yeHJhMktDNS13MHBR?oc=5) |
| CBS Sports | Rams' Ty Simpson: Rams' backup QB job still undetermined | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQN2xvZ3lhODAzZDd4aHNCMWpVQnJiMzZlaExNME15Q1ZmZEtHZUV6X1h6WkEyY2ZrWlpsejloSEhqYm5HMXRjQ1Z3YXJIQVpkWVotRUhaelJsUTkwa0ZIZXJMaWI4UVhjbXZIWFFXVURqb29JZ0pCRUNRbU8tV21aWWZud3oySzNGME5oVERyNDhKbVRpYmVzQkR5d05TN2gtQ0FlZg?oc=5) |
| Rams Wire | Practice reps hint at who is leading Rams' backup QB battle | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiywFBVV95cUxNSS15YUt4QkZ4cW5hMXctd0FMNEFpMWkyNnIzaU9RV1I3Rl9reWJhbDJIbFVSbzBsMmVLVUVSaEdLRjc1QjgtdmxFcU1YUHBYSVZLMHkyTEZyM0ZsNHhwUF8yZzMtdnl5SUJoQWVaUVhMN2RXOHVfUHl1aGFBTkNJRWdMVEJlYlVtLU8tNjJ3elI5b0hpazZhdDNUQzZ1eUpWTmtOYmJuX0xkTEE2WU9kUXVGbmRRY1dzQ2lSeUR5cVg4Z1ZLTTcwTXZjMA?oc=5) |
| CBS Sports | Rams' Stetson Bennett: Decision on QB2 job still undetermined | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxQQTBFbUJ2M1FRVXdNSkttc0Y4cmo5T1p0MnFYQVNsVkpHTHdPdDlFeTZ0WS1DbWhGbXVfcFg4NjdiZ29Ua1hTRHE3ZkJxYkxIbElkVWpUUWFBek1MbEhrbGQxaEdqUUtLQkhpenVYY01lLU9UNFRoVVFjYWlGdU5pOGRLTzdRdFYzLWFycklpeTJZRmtBOUtxNldqdGdGeTBpYWhhak5FSE1CeXlk?oc=5) |
| NBC Sports | Ty Simpson will "definitely" play preseason finale, Sean McVay undecided on backup QB | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi3AFBVV95cUxQcTJNc3FZeVVXM3RwRWxBYkc0REtBcU92dDdRVzRrcjB0NlhQU1VJSzZmaEctM3lBa1RJWTA2ZklMTFhNdzNuQUVLWGhaNndYeFFXekgwMG9oU1VzYzRYb0c3YUVGd1hVdm90YnJlYy1LOFA1Qjh2d0hiU3NWeF9td2dQXzdCVjV4c0taWVdyWDFKbWFEMEVNcjRRNnBVYVFOQ0psRWlIYXlDcGpxUVd4UjhEbmtJQmxKNU8zZ2FySkwxbnRhOXVNT0g0bW1nQ2RNQVdxaFlTT1J6b0M3?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | NFL Preseason Blitz: Rams rookie QB Ty Simpson plays well again, but seems well behind Stetson Bennett IV | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi5gFBVV95cUxORDJMQnBfUlU5VVhlSUNSck9GN3hBakFjTmt1djF1SkNiS0cyVDg4S1c4Sm91WWdHMXFEM3BvbGJiUWdUMlc5XzByR1ZjXzhQYTdtWUt6WndQeTlFbTNTcG9yaHFJbHM2eTQxMU5sc2F3RG9WNTBQQUZ2elR4WWRQTTBXb19zNWhaNmhmczU5LWg4dFpXQmtNc1JyU1VndWFRMUZZdEZ3VllvMDdDRmNEbVFydzhmeXYzblY5SlNoYjZac2tiS0p1U2JMNFhybkJIajg0WnNzMjVfSmtQSHFPN2QyZ0lUZw?oc=5) |
| NBC Sports | McVay still undecided on Stafford’s backup | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxPQU9KZjVNeC1UaGh3Sl8td1RsMWxuakp4MXFIUXg1a3Bpb081UDdldlB4R2puekZKeFpPUXF4ZEktVVpRM09QS3g0QjFIczVfYnJOY0JmM203Tm5LNUZORDJqb1l2VGdVWFBjWlJ2LVpkVTBsc1Fiel9NT2xoZlRXaV8tank1WTVwdjBIcFF4STMwdEYzV19tT3hiaG10c0dVSWtqNzJ6X1BGQkU?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-08-25/mcvay-still-undecided-on-stafford-s-backup*