Stetson Bennett's imperfections make him perfectly suited for Rams in 2024

The veil has been pierced, the cards have been laid out on the table. The LA Rams drafted former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett in Round 4 in the 2023 NFL Draft with the 129th overall pick, and he was clearly on track to become that backup quarterback. Now, after nearly a year away from the game, he is back and competing to earn, or perhaps more accurately re-earn, his spot on this roster.

Some fans may struggle with that absence. I did not, am not, nor will not fault him for his absence, for the reasons that compelled him to step away from the game. Even now, in the era of mental health awareness, the stigma of an NFL player who possesses enough self-awareness to check on his own mental health and takes the appropriate steps to ensure that he remains in the best health possible is not me with applause, comments about how he has overcome the challenges, or respect for his journey to overcome those problems.

Stetson Bennett is 100 percent back. His reception so far has been met with a bit of skepticism.

It's nobody's fault. Unknowns are never a comfortable discussion. And the discussion around the circumstances, the absence, and the eventual decision to return to the Rams roster are not obvious. The media wants to be respectful, but everyone in the room who does not possess the knowledge surrounding the details about Stetson Bennett's journey want to kick over the rocks about that journey.

Sure, there are those who are calloused and will try to use any details learned about Bennett to decry his role on the Rams roster, who find some form of glee or responsibility to highlight and emphasize his imperfections. But every NFL player has some vulnerabilities. Competition, even the healthiest forms of competition, salvo professional athletes with the daily mental assault that tests the mental fortitude and toughness to be the best version of himself, to meet competition head on.

It is relentless. It is constant. And sometimes, players need a break.