Stetson Bennett will most likely be the No. 2 quarterback on the Rams’ depth chart this season, backing up Matthew Stafford under center. The Rams hope Bennett never has to get in a game, but they want to make sure he’s ready if called upon at any point in 2023.
It’s still very early in the offseason and Bennett hasn’t faced a live pass rush yet, but Sean McVay seems pleased with the job the rookie has done thus far. He’s seen steady progress from Bennett in practice, noting the way he goes through his reads, uses his athleticism to make plays and maintains a steady demeanor.
“I think he’s taking it a day at a time, but I’ve been really pleased with him,” McVay said of Bennett. “These settings, especially without the pads on, quarterbacks can’t get tackled, but I think you’ve seen steady progress. (QBs coach) Zac Robinson’s done a great job with him as well as Michael LaFleur. But the one thing that does stand out is when the ball is in Stetson’s hands, game makes sense to him. He’s got a good feel for being able to get through progressions quickly. He can feel space on the backend as it relates to just, hey, there’s a lot of different coverage contours that he’s seeing, but he feels open areas and he can get through things quickly. And you love the athleticism, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. But I like his demeanor. He just stays nice and steady, doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low, and he’s a fun guy to be around.”
Bennett came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick by the Rams this year and despite being undersized and pegged as a game-manager, Los Angeles viewed him as a playmaker in Georgia’s offense. He was Les Snead’s favorite quarterback in the class and a target of the team on Day 3 in the draft.
Bennett will be tested in training camp and even more so in the preseason, likely getting a lot of reps later this summer when the Rams take on the Chargers, Raiders and Broncos.
