Ramblin' Fan
FanSided

9 best backup quarterbacks in Rams franchise history

ByBret Stuter|
Los Angeles Rams Offseason Workout Stetson Bennett, Brett Rypien, Matthew Stafford, Dresser Winn
Los Angeles Rams Offseason Workout Stetson Bennett, Brett Rypien, Matthew Stafford, Dresser Winn | Jayne Kamin-Oncea/GettyImages
1 of 10

The LA Rams have not exactly been a team that has invested heavily in their backup quarterback position. There were many reasons that contributed to that, but the ultimate cause and effect are that the LA Rams had considerable success at keeping their starting quarterback upright and healthy. Since hiring Head Coach Sean McVay in 2017, former starting quarterback Jared Goff only missed two starts in four seasons. In 2021, starting quarterback Matthew Stafford did not miss a single start.

But that all changed in 2022. Matthew Stafford missed seven games due to injuries, and the LA Rams organization scrambled to find ways to get the right guy under center from that point going forward. Ultimately, the Rams settled on signing free agent veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield and throwing him into the game just hours after he deplaned. Did the LA Rams learn from that experience?

Did the Rams return to trademark of drafting future starting QB?

Perhaps they did. 2022 shifted the earth under the Rams in many ways. In fact, this year seems to have an entirely new strategy as the driving force for the entire LA Rams organization. One of the most measurable differences is the Rams' willingness to invest in a solid backup quarterback, former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett. At the time of his selection, not everyone believed that Bennett was worth a Round 4 pick. But the LA Rams did, and that is all that matters.

How good will Bennett be? We really will never know until the LA Rams need him to become their starter. At that point, he will no longer be the backup. But isn't that how all insurance policies go?

But while we are on the subject, just who have been the best backups in the Rams long and storied history? Believe it or not, the succession plan for the Rams football team has often relied upon a backup who stepped up after the starter left via a trade or free agency, or simply fell to injury and never got their job back. So who have been outstanding backup quarterbacks for the Rams? Here are our Top Eight:

8 Best Rams backup quarterbacks in franchise history

  1. IX: Ron Jaworski
  2. VIII: Jared Goff
  3. VII: Vince Ferragamo
  4. VI: Roman Gabriel
  5. V: Marc Bulger
  6. IV: James Harris
  7. III: Norm Van Brocklin
  8. II: Jim Everett
  9. I: Kurt Warner
Home/Rams All-Time Lists