The Arizona Cardinals are embracing a rebuilding timeline. They essentially have no other choice considering how far behind they are in the NFC West, the most stacked division in football. Seeing as the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks all reached 12-plus wins last season, the path to contention for Arizona means zigging while the rest of the division zags.
There even appeared to be a window where the Rams, currently favored to win this upcoming season's Super Bowl, would soon be vulnerable. Matthew Stafford is 38 years old, and eventually Father Time will catch up to him, whether that means retirement or declining play.
However, the Rams have a chance to pull off something only a few franchises can: maintain a high level of play while transitioning quarterback eras.
Ty Simpson's Rams success threatens Cardinals' rebuild timeline
The gold standard is the Green Bay Packers' ability to go from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to present-day Jordan Love. Packers divisional rivals like the Chicago Bears had to deal with decades of Green Bay's consistency because of their ability to develop and teach their incumbent, patiently bringing him along to learn the playbook so he's ready to hit the ground running.
Not to say that Love is anywhere near the same level as his predecessors. But in a way, that's an even more encouraging blueprint for Los Angeles to follow because it's actually realistic. They don't need Ty Simpson to be as good as Stafford to have continued success.
The Rams spent their No. 13 overall pick on Simpson. While some may consider it a reach, Los Angeles views it as the potential to keep the franchise afloat post-Stafford without missing a beat.
Love has been able to achieve success in Green Bay because he has a plethora of playmakers and a LaFleur system that seems to do well regardless of quarterback. That's even more true in Los Angeles, with weapons like Puka Nacua paired with Sean McVay's brilliant playcalling.
We caught a glimpse of what the Rams' offense could look like after Stafford in their Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Simpson finished with 190 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, leading the Rams to a 20-12 victory. Most impressively, he completed 21/25 (84%) of his throws, displaying the accuracy required to thrive in McVay's system.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are still in search of their future signal-caller, but had to have been encouraged by Carson Beck's performance in their Hall of Fame Game loss to the Carolina Panthers.
The fact that Simpson was a first-round investment by Los Angeles while Beck was a third-round flier by Arizona should be telling in terms of chances of one day leading their respective teams. Still, it surprisingly may be Beck who finds himself with the more immediate opportunity, given the gap between Stafford and Jacoby Brissett.
Hopefully, the Cardinals can find their long-term answer at quarterback and time their window when the rest of the NFC West finally comes down from its collective peak. Simpson's preseason debut already threatens that plan.
There's a chance the Rams have already found their successor for Stafford. And if that's indeed the case, the Cardinals may be stuck in a division that remains stacked for years to come.
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