When the Los Angeles Rams drafted quarterback Stetson Bennett out of Georgia, the idea was that he could be the long-term backup quarterback. In other words, he could be a ‘set it and forget it’ type of player at the position. To say that Bennett’s career with the Rams has been a rollercoaster would be an understatement. However, for the first time in three years, Bennett showed some upside and that he can execute the offense.
Prior to selecting Bennett, the Rams under Sean McVay hadn’t put a lot of thought into the backup quarterback position. A big reason for that was because they didn’t need to previously. Jared Goff hadn’t ever gotten hurt and when he did, John Wolford stepped in to win a must-win game against the Arizona Cardinals. However, when the Rams lost Matthew Stafford for half the season in 2022, they felt the direct effects of not having a suitable backup quarterback. Wolford kept the Rams somewhat competitive, but limited the offense. Bryce Perkins was a good athlete, but limited from the pocket. It wasn’t until the Rams lucked into Baker Mayfield that they were able to run their offense again.
Following the experience in 2022, the Rams made a long-term commitment at the backup quarterback position by drafting Bennett in the fourth round. This wasn’t a player with the tools to be a franchise quarterback, but he had the skillset to run the offense for a short period if needed. Since being drafted, Bennett has led the NFL in turnover-worthy plays in the preseason and took nearly a full year away from football. Heading into year three, there were some serious questions on whether or not he would make the roster.
All offseason Rams media and the coaching staff raved about Bennett’s growth and improvement. During OTAs, Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur noted seeing a ton of growth, particularly from two years ago. Said Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News following training camp, “Bennett looks much more decisive in his third camp. He is working through his reads quickly and making his throws on time and in rhythm.”
Whatever you may think about Bennett’s time away, what tends to be forgotten is that last year was essentially Bennett’s rookie season 2.0. For the first time he was able to spend a full season with the team, sitting in the meeting rooms, taking snaps during practice, and being on the sidelines during games. His year away was like hitting the reset button. There was finally some continuity and being able to apply what he learned in 2024 to now.
The continuous timeline has resulted in a player who is clearly more comfortable and more confident in the offense. That was evident in the Rams’ preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys. Two of Bennett’s first three throws went downfield. His first pass went to Davis Allen for 13 yards before he found Xavier Smith settled between three Cowboys defensive backs for 15 yards.
Later in the drive, Bennett would throw a perfectly placed ball along the sideline to Smith on fourth down to pick up 39 yards. On the play, there was zero hesitation from Bennett. He knew exactly where he was going with the ball, showing conviction in the throw and confidence in his receiver. Most importantly, he was playing on time and in rhythm while seeing the field clearly. Several times in Bennett’s first two seasons, he’d be late on a throw or not be sure of what he was seeing.
The Bennett that we saw against the Cowboys was a different player than the one from his first two preseasons. His average depth of target was 11 yards down the field. That was the fifth-highest for the week. Prior to Saturday, his best passer rating in a game was 89.9 which was his debut in 2023 against the Chargers. Against the Cowboys, Bennett finished with a passer rating of 100.7.
While Bennett was only pressured five times, he managed it well. In the past, Bennett would have seen pressure and tried to force a throw. That wasn’t the case against the Cowboys. During the preseason opener, when Bennett escaped pressure he threw the ball away or navigated the pocket. As seen in the throw above, Bennett feels pressure, slides to the left and quickly sets his feet before delivering an accurate throw to Drake Stoops.
Later in the game, Bennett showed more development when he found Stoops again, this time between three defenders. The Rams quarterback created a passing window by bringing the defensive back down to the flat with his eyes and then fit the ball in to Stoops for a nice gain. That’s something that only a quarterback who is comfortable and knows where everybody is going to be is able to pull off.
It’s going to be important for Bennett to continue what he’s started in the preseason. However, for the first time in his career there is some optimism that this could be the team’s long-term backup quarterback as they had hoped. This isn’t say that Bennett was perfect as he still had a few mishaps. The tipped ball to Konata Mumpfield was almost intercepted and then his interception was off-platform and underthrown. If Bennett is going to throw an interception, that’s one the Rams can live with. Still, that was one where he let the initial pressure get to him and force his process. You would like to see him live to see another down with two available options underneath.
There’s no reason to get hyperbolic and put the expectation of ‘future starter’ on Bennett as that’s not what he is and never what he was drafted to be. At the most, he would be a bridge quarterback to the next era, but Bennett was always drafted with the idea that he could be a long-term solution as the backup. Against the Cowboys, Bennett showed that he can be that.
Honorable Mentions
iOL Willie Lampkin
Bennett was the most important story for the Rams in the preseason opener, but if he did not play quarterback, the main story would be Willie Lampkin. The Rams are simply going to have to find a way to get Lampkin on the 53-man roster. While Bennett playing well is important from a Rams perspective, Lampkin is a player that the media has been raving about since Saturday. This is not a player that the Rams are going to be able to sneak onto the practice squad.
Had Lampkin been three inches taller, he likely would have been a top-75 pick in the NFL Draft. This is a player that impressed during Senior Bowl practices and every step of the way has shown that his size isn’t an issue. He didn’t get a Combine invite and teams didn’t take that chance on him during the draft.
Again, the reason that Lampkin wasn’t drafted was because he was such a size anomaly. Nobody thought he could handle the NFL at 5’11, 290-pounds. Now he has good tape and has shown that he can handle it. If the Rams make him available, a team with a need on the interior of their offensive line is going to jump on him.
RB Cody Schrader
Another player that the Rams are going to need to make an effort to keep is running back Cody Schrader. The Rams certainly like Ronnie Rivers as a veteran player in the running back room, but Schrader may be competing with him as the fourth running back on the roster. The Rams claimed Schrader from the 49ers last season and found a way to keep him on the 53-man roster throughout the season. On back-to-back plays, he picked up runs of 16 and 25 yard runs. During his 25-yard pickup, Schrader displayed patience behind the line of scrimmage for the hole to open up and then exploded through it. At the third level, he displayed good speed and elusiveness, getting away from an incoming defensive back. The Rams have some depth at the running back position, but they should be able to find a role for him on the roster, even if it is just special teams.