The odds of QB Stetson Bennett returning to LA Rams in 2023 are fading fast

IV: Bennett not ready at the start of the season

The path to NFL success for QB Stetson Bennett would never be a paved road. It was destined to be a struggle from the get-go. He is a bit undersized for an NFL quarterback. Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing just 190 pounds, it is understandable why a two-time NCAA Championship quarterback fell to the Rams with the 128th overall pick in Round 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft. But the Rams rolled the dice on the former Georgia Bulldog.

Not blindly, mind you. The Rams did their jurisprudence, and vetted the guy. Yes, he exhibited some flags that drove him down the draft boards of some teams. But for the Rams, he displayed an unending supply of confidence and competitive spirit.

Rams ready for 2023 NFL season, but Bennett is not

When the Rams roster was set up for the 2023 NFL season, the Rams were still carrying rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett on their 53-man roster. But Bennett was not ready to go, as the Rams initially reported Bennett with a right shoulder injury that opened the possibility for him to be designated to Injured Reserve, a move that would keep Bennett off the active 53-man roster for no less than four games:

Even as the Rams elevated QB Brett Rypien from the practice squad for Week 1, the Rams seemed to be a bit uncertain over the issues confronting their backup quarterback. And that uncertainty may have caused long-term problems. The LA Rams believed in Stetson Bennett, and still do. That is not the problem. What is the problem now is the fact that Stetson Bennett is working through some things to get him ready for life in the NFL.

And the Rams haven't a good idea when that time away from the game will expire.