Rams May Have Underestimated Stetson Bennett Entering 2026

Entering the 2026 offseason, there was always some possibility that the Los Angeles Rams could look for their quarterback of the future. That was especially the case after Jimmy Garoppolo announced that he was considering retirement. 

With the 13th overall pick, the Rams drafted Ty Simpson to presumably be the heir to quarterback Matthew Stafford. There were certainly some questions around Simpson, especially regarding his lack of college experience. At the same time, it was hard to question his overall fit in the offense. 

Still, in a season with Super Bowl expectations, some thought that the Rams would have been better off drafting a player who could contribute immediately. While a player such as Makai Lemon or Monroe Freeling may have just been depth, Lemon would have gotten some playing time as the third wide receiver.Additionally, Freeling or another offensive lineman would have given the Rams depth on the offensive line and could have been needed at some point during the season. 

Stetson Bennett Has Taken a Major Step Forward

Heading into training camp, there was a battle for the backup quarterback spot between Simpson and Stetson Bennett. It wouldn’t have been at all surprising had Simpson overtaken Bennett by the end of training camp. However, that simply hasn’t been the case. 

Bennett hasn’t given the Rams’ coaching staff a reason to turn to Simpson. In fact, Bennett has exceeded expectations and impressed coaches throughout training camp. 

“He really has [grown] and I've mentioned it,” said head coach Sean McVay. “He's aggressive. He's a playmaker. He's going to be aggressive but not reckless. He can make some things happen off-schedule. The way that we're able to get in and out of the huddle in terms of his overall command has been significantly improved upon and the way that he works at it…It's cool to be able to see a lot of the work that he's put in pay off with the way that he's playing and the respect he has from his teammates.”

How Bennett Got to This Point

Drafted out of Georgia in the fourth round in 2023, it was always thought that Bennett could be the long-term backup and potentially a bridge quarterback after Stafford retired. Following the 2022 season in which the Rams relied on John Wolford and Bryce Perkins before signing Baker Mayfield, they wanted to find a more permanent solution to the backup quarterback spot. 

Through his first two seasons, it didn’t look like that was going to be Bennett. Despite his extensive college experience, Bennett threw one touchdown to three interceptions as a rookie before stepping away from football and leaving the team.

Bennett returned in 2024, but threw two touchdowns to five interceptions during the preseason. When the Rams played their backups in Week 18, they turned to Garoppolo rather than give Bennett experience in a regular season game. 

After a full year in the system, Bennett flipped those numbers last year, throwing five touchdowns to two interceptions. His turnover-worthy play rate dropped from 9.1 percent to 5.6 percent. Still, Bennett remained the third-string quarterback behind Garoppolo. 

Did the Rams Underestimate Bennett?

It’s fair to wonder if the Rams underrated Bennett heading into 2026. McVay made it clear that Simpson would compete with Bennett. The rookie is very clearly on his own development path. At the same time, nobody would have been surprised, and some may have expected Simpson to overtake Bennett by the start of the preseason. 

Few would have been surprised had the Rams completely moved on from Bennett during roster cutdowns. Instead, Bennett has gained the respect of the coaching staff and players on the team. 

“When you look at Stetson, you can see he carries a certain type of aura and swag when he enters the field,” said running back Blake Corum. “He's not scared to cut it loose. He goes out there with utmost confidence and his form is beautiful…You can hear it in the huddle when he's calling the plays, he's saying it with authority…He's balled out this camp and he's only going to continue to get better.”

Bennett continually impressed during training camp to the point where the Rams seem to feel comfortable with him as the backup. McVay has noted that Bennett may not even play during the preseason. It’s a clear sign that the Rams are confident in him and see him as key depth. 

The Rams Can Afford to Be Patient With Simpson

Given Bennett’s experience in the system, there was always going to be some level of catch-up for Simpson entering training camp. With that said, the Rams may not have expected Bennett to hold off Simpson for as long as he has. 

This isn’t to say that the Rams made the wrong choice by taking Simpson. Bennett has yet to play a regular season snap outside of a kneel down. It’s difficult to know how he’d fare as a starter, especially considering his smaller frame. 

At a minimum, Bennett has shown that he can be an extension of the coaching staff and be a backup in this system. Simpson will still need to beat him out eventually, but the growth of Bennett has been one of the best stories of the offseason. Simpson may still be the quarterback of the future, but Bennett has made it clear that he isn’t ready to simply hand him the job.

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