Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett is poised to make an NFL return in 2024 after sitting out his rookie season for personal reasons. With the former two-time national champion seeking an opportunity to prove himself, that might have to come elsewhere.
Bennett, age 26, is at the disadvantage of being more than eight months removed from taking his last snaps against competition. While he was competing to be the Rams’ backup quarterback in 2023, he struggled in the preseason and is now a distant third behind veteran Jimmy Garoppolo on the Rams depth chart heading into the summer.
- Stetson Bennett college stats: 65.1% completion rate, 160.9 QB rating, 8,429 passing yards, 9.1 yards per attempt, 66 passing touchdowns, 21 interceptions
However, Bennett is still a two-time national champion who won CFP National Championship Offensive MVP twice and was selected with the 128th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. If a better opportunity is what he wants and Los Angeles determines he could have a better chance to prove himself elsewhere, there are a few options around the NFL that stick out.
Top Stetson Bennett landing spots
Realistically, Bennett likely won’t find an opportunity to become a starter for Week 1 of the 2024 season. He’s also still under contract with Los Angeles, so playing in the UFL is out of the question. If Bennett is willing to compete for a backup quarterback job, though, there could be options.
- Stetson Bennett NFL stats (preseason): 36-of-62 (58.1 percent completion rate), 347 passing yards, 5.6 yards per attempt, 1 passing touchdown, 3 interceptions, 4 sacks
With that in mind, here are a few NFL teams that could be a landing spot for Bennett.
Denver Broncos
There might be one NFL team that would conceivably start Bennett in 2024 without an injury. As of now, the Denver Broncos’ only viable quarterback option for the upcoming season is Jarrett Stidham. While he does have a vote of confidence from Sean Payton, Stidham’s NFL career doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. For a potential late-round pick swap, Bennett would land in a favorable situation. Payton’s system has made shorter quarterbacks with above-average athleticism and solid accuracy look good. If Bennett was traded to Denver before June, he would have enough time to learn the Broncos’ system and become their backup quarterback. Then, if Stidham struggles, Bennett could get his shot to prove himself.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have their new franchise quarterback, but Sean Clifford isn’t exactly a viable backup option. While the Packers’ coaching staff has publicly expressed some confidence in him, what he showed at college and in the preseason suggests he’s better suited to be a third-string quarterback. Bennett would also be walking into a fantastic situation. The Packers’ young receiving corps is one of the best in the NFC and the offensive line has consistently been a top-10 unit in the NFL. While Bennett isn’t a ceiling-raiser for an offense, he knows how to play from the pocket and get the football into the hands of his playmakers. It would cost very little to acquire him and the transition from Sean McVay’s system to Matt LaFleur’s scheme would be a smoother transition than picking up a playbook with influences that come from outside the Shanahan/McVay tree.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t currently have a backup quarterback on their roster. While the team’s season would be over if Patrick Mahomes suffered a severe injury in 2024, Bennett would at least be serviceable if Kansas City needed a quarterback for a game or two. Plus, he’d have the opportunity to learn from Andy Reid and the future Hall of Famer has done wonders for numerous quarterbacks in his career, including journeyman players. Being the Chiefs’ backup quarterback would put Bennett in a competitive environment, provide him with a fresh start and the supporting cast in Kansas City could elevate him as a player.
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