Stetson Bennett is currently the third quarterback on the Rams’ depth chart, but this preseason, he’ll be the primary starter. Matthew Stafford won’t play in these three exhibition games and Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t expected to, either.
Therefore, Bennett is going to get a lot of opportunities to showcase his skillset again as he attempts to get his NFL career back on track after stepping away from the team last season.
Sean McVay has a lot of hope for the young quarterback and expects him to play well this preseason. On Friday, he shared what he wants to see from Bennett against the Cowboys, Chargers and Texans.
“I think command, control, being able to get in and out of the huddle,” he said. “There’s so much that goes into the quarterback position in regard to calling the play, getting up to the line of scrimmage, making sure that everybody’s set, sending any sort of motion, and then being able to play and trust your instincts after the snap. Want to be able to see that and I want to see him be able to go enjoy his opportunity to go compete. He seems like, when I’ve seen him at his best, he’s having fun and that’s really consistent with all players. So just go cut it loose, play, and enjoy it. I thought we felt that in the first preseason game, a little bit last year when he was flashing and doing those kinds of things. So that’s what I’m looking forward to seeing.”
The Rams also have Dresser Winn on the roster, but he’s expected to be waived when the final 53-man roster is set. Bennett, meanwhile, will likely be the No. 2 quarterback due to Garoppolo’s two-game suspension to start the year.
Given Stafford’s injury history, the Rams would love to go into the season feeling confident in Bennett’s ability to play meaningful snaps if needed until Garoppolo returns.
McVay also spoke about supporting Bennett during his mental health break last season, saying he “feels good as a person,” which he’s happy to see.
“I think the important thing was empathy and really trying to understand that everybody goes through different things, but the strength is acknowledging it, addressing it and then how do you move forward?” he said. “How do you also know that you’re not alone in that journey? How do you know that people are willing to put their arm around you? How important it is to make sure that you surround yourself with people that love you unconditionally. I think it was good for him to be able to get a reset. Most importantly, he feels good as a person. That makes me really happy. I’m looking forward to watching him just go out and play. When he does go out there, he’s got a nice swagger and a charisma about himself that is fun to watch. That’s what I’m hoping we’ll be able to see, and guys play well around him as well.”