As the Los Angeles Rams have just one preseason game left, they will have to choose who will back up Matthew Stafford in Weeks 1 and 2 while Jimmy Garoppolo serves his two-game suspension.
Garropolo’s resume says that he is good enough to start and play under any center in the NFL but has struggled throughout camp and is suspended to start the year. Stetson Bennett has been solid throughout camp and is coming off an improved performance in Saturday’s 13-9 win over the Chargers.
On Sunday, Rams coach Sean McVay said he’s still unsure of who will be backing up Stafford to open the season but he will “use all the time that we have” before deciding whether it will be Bennett or someone else.
“What I try to do is take it a little bit at a time. That’s where if you really said, ‘Okay, are you worried about Matthew? If we have to err on the side of caution, it’s going to give us more chances to evaluate Stetson and also Jimmy in some of these practice settings.” Said McVay. “I don’t necessarily have a timeline. I know the latest timeline is as it relates to that, but if (Bennett) continues to progress, you’ll be pleased.”
After being absent from the roster due to personal reasons last season, Bennett has played every preseason snap this year while Stafford and Garroppolo have played none. Fourth-string quarterback Dresser Winn has hasn’t played a snap this preseason, either.
This preseason, Bennett has had one game he’d like to forget and one where he looked better but still committed two turnovers..
In the first game of the preseason against the Cowboys, Bennett went 24-for-38 for 244 yards, one touchdown and a miserable four interceptions. In Saturday’s win over the Chargers, he was better than that dreaded performance the week before, going 17-for-31 with 213 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
“… where he’s come from and the way he has acted, interacted, and responded to all the different things thrown at him. I’ve been proud of Stetson. I really have,” said McVay.
Before his arrival to the Rams last season, he was a two-time college football National Champion with the Georgia Bulldogs, while also being awarded as the National Championship offensive player MVP and was a two-time second-team SEC All-American.
While it’s unknown what the Rams might do at quarterback this season, one thing is for sure and that is Garroppolo will not be on the sideline for the first two games of the season due to his PED suspension.
Garroppolo has had quite a career in the NFL. From winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots as a backup quarterback to Tom Brady to leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl as the starting quarterback in the 2019-20 season where he was just shy of 4,000 yards passing with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.