Stetson Bennett is participating in the L.A. Rams Spring workout program.
After months of speculation about what has been going on with Bennett, this is good news for the Rams, particularly in light of the circumstance that QB2 Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended for the first two games of the upcoming regular season.
Stetson Bennett Was On the Rams’ Non-Football Injury (NFI) Reserve List For the Vast Majority of the 2023 Season
For reasons described by L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay as “bigger than” football, Bennett was inactive for almost the entirety of the 2023 season.
There has been a great deal of speculation about what has been going on with Bennett and his future with the Rams.
Bennett Is Participating in the Spring Workout
Rams Wire reports that when “players began arriving for the offseason program[,] … among those in attendance was Bennett. He was spotted in a video posted by the Rams, walking into the building alongside Christian Rozeboom.”
Reports had surfaced, before the team’s Spring workouts, that Bennett was working with Patrick Mahomes’ trainer in Texas for the past couple of months.
Per Rams Wire: “[This is] the first time [Bennett has] been at the Rams’ facility since going on the NFI list last September, so that’s certainly a step in the right direction for the second-year quarterback.”
The Availability of a Reliable Backup for Matthew Stafford Is Critical for the Rams
Two-time Pro Bowler Matthew Stafford has endured quite a few injuries throughout his lengthy football career. And, while he has bravely played through many of those injuries, it certainly does not hurt the Rams’ cause to have reliable backup options for the 36-year-old gunslinger.
As a result of injuries, Stafford missed eight games in 2022 and two games in 2023.
QB2 Garoppolo Is Suspended for the First Two Games of the 2024 Season
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo has been signed as Stafford’s backup. However, as noted above, Garoppolo has been suspended by the NFL for the first two games of the 2024 season. The suspension is attributable to a violation of the league’s policy concerning performance-enhancing substances. Garoppolo explained that he “messed up the therapeutic use exemption.”
In any event, the fact that Bennett is back working out with the team is a significant, positive sign for the Rams. And, the Rams’ quarterback room remains one of the most intriguing in the NFL.
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