How LA Rams QB Stetson Bennett can hit jackpot playing with house money

While the pressure may have been part of the package of being drafted in Round 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft, former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett certainly showed plenty of promise in OTAs and training camp in that rookie debut with the LA Rams to elevate expectations to some form of natural successor to starting quarterback Matthew Stafford. But after losing the entire 2023 NFL season due to being moved to the IR/NFI list, those lofty expectations for the young quarterback have plummeted to the point where even some Rams fans expect him to be cut this season.

Curiously, that nadir of optimism is when Bennett galvanizes his resolve and comes roaring back to life. In other words, second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett is at his most dangerous when expectations are at their lowest. Right now, expectations for Bennett to contribute meaningfully to theis Rams offense have never been at their lowest.

While the reception for the team selecting Stetson Bennett in Round 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 128th overall pick was lukewarm at best, the temperature of Rams fans reversed course as this performance showed decline through three preseason games. By the time the season started, and the team assigned him to the IR/NFI designation, the fans turned a cold shoulder to him.

Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but that was not the case where Bennett's place in Rams fans hearts are concerned. Where a few understanding and hopeful fans remained vigilant and steadfast in their support of the young quarterback, the level of his support among the fanbase at large plummeted, as many turned to anger, disgust, and insolent comments to fill the void of true information available about his status.

And yet, the fall to the depths of optimism and expectations are nothing new to the former Georgia quarterback, nor are they unfamiliar to the Rams organization either. In fact, Bennett does his best work when least expected. So how far did he fall?