Looks like it will be Stetson Bennett, and not Jimmy G, in Rams preseason games
By Bret Stuter
The LA Rams have a bit of a quandary this preseason. While the Rams love to keep significant role players out of preseason games to avoid the risk of injury, how does the team view this season? While the typical answer would be for the team to sit both starting quarterback Matthew Stafford and backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the 2024 NFL season throws a bit of a curve ball at the team.
LA Rams backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will sit the first two weeks of the 2024 NFL due to a league-imposed suspension. That will push the responsibility of backing up Stafford during the first two games of the 2023 NFL season onto second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett. But as we had indicated, the Rams typically sit the backup veteran quarterback in preseason to avoid injury.
And with Jimmy Garoppolo suspended for two weeks to open the season, would the Rams try to supercharge him with some preseason work to tie him over until he can return to the active roster to prepare for Week 3? Those questions hovered over the Rams quarterback room, until now. Finally, at the latest press conference, a member of the media posed the question to HC Sean McVay over how he plans to manage Jimmy G through preseason games.
And he replied matter-of-factly. Unless Jimmy Garoppolo asks to compete in preseason games, Coach McVay will likely sit the veteran throughout the preseason.
That means that the lion's share of work will be handled by backup quartterback Stetson Bennett. And it also means that fans will likely see a little bit of work from reserve quarterback Dresser Winn.
So the instant reaction is: Is this a good thing or a bad thing? After all the Rams did not draft a young quarterback despite a large number of talented prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. Are the Rams content with their quarterback depth for the 2024 NFL season? And what about the growing number and volume of Rams rumors that suggest the team may need to shop for a new starting quarterback in 2025?