The euphoria over Rams backup quarterback Stetson Bennett may be short-lived

If you were fortunate enough to see LA Rams rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett in his first preseason game, you likely emerged with a sense that this young man could do something positive on the Rams roster. As we had stated in past articles, the LA Rams needed to draft a backup QB this season, and they were not about to take a stab at one with their first pick, the 36th overall draft selection.

But the Rams did draft a backup quarterback, with the 128th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, While not everyone was enamored with the pick, the LA Rams certainly were. And in choosing former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, the LA Rams added a two-time national champion quarterback. Overkill? Not for the LA Rams, no.

But we cannot be simplistic here. If you are suddenly re-ranking the LA Rams depth chart, tap the brakes. Bennett was never expected to fall short of confidence. He is oozing confidence, and it bolstered the confidence of the players around him. But it was not all wine and roses.

Bennett got better and better

He was not placed into a great gametime situation. By the time he entered the game, the LA Rams were already behind by a score of 13-0. To get him warmed up, the LA Rams rushed the football three times, chewing up 24 yards and moving the football out to the LA Rams own 49 yard line before the offense asked him to make his first pass of the game.

Bennett threw two incompletions (one negated by a penalty from the LA Chargers defense) before he finally connected with rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua for 17 yards. Despite one touchdown being called back, Bennett loaded the Rams' offense up once more and threw a touchdown to Nacua.

In the end, Bennett's stats for the game were: 17 of 29 passes completed for 191 yards and one touchdown to no interceptions. He was sacked three times for 36 yards lost, but he scrambled twice for two yards.

It was a good showing, a solid performance for a quarterback who had never competed in any NFL games before. No, it was not a stellar performance. The LA Rams appeared to be an NFL team with a lot of learning and growth ahead of them. But this was a solid first step. Best of all, Bennett's performance not only showcased his own swagger in the pocket, but he was able to showcase the talents of a number of Rams receivers who are fighting for a spot on the Rams roster as well.

Still, keep in mind that Stetson Bennett is playing for a backup quarterback role. Once the season starts, he will be relegated to working the scouting team and watching starting quarterback Matthew Stafford work his magic. He's a great player to have on hand for a rainy day. But once the season starts, nobody wants it to rain on the LA Rams