What are the LA Rams post-Matthew Stafford quarterback plans?

Could Bennett be the bridge until the team drafts the next franchise QB?

When the LA Rams drafted former Georgia QB Stetson Bennett in Round 4 of the 2023 NFL Draft, the move surprised nearly everyone. Some were shocked that the team would draft any quarterback, a position that they had never addressed in the draft since Sean McVay took over the team in 2017. Some were shocked that the team selected Bennett, a player who they believed would be available in later rounds. And still others were surprised that the team viewed the quarterback position as one that needed an infusion of rookie talents.

But everyone lined up for the compulsory 'I told you so,' when Bennett was placed on IR/NFI for the entirety of the 2023 NFL season. Some insisted that Stetson Bennett was either released by the team or would be as soon as the team regrouped for the 2024 NFL season.

So far, Stetson Bennett is still competing for a roster spot, and by the reports out of training camp, seems to be doing quite well. In fact, Pro Football Talks Mike Florio, who is not known for his objective or complimentary articles regarding the LA Rams, wrote a rather positive piece about backup quarterback Stetson Bennett.

"(He, i.e. Stetson Bennett) had some really good reps [and] some things where we can be a little bit cleaner, but what you do see from Stetson is the athleticism. If we lose contain up front, he can break it and make plays with his legs and I think that is good for whether it is our first group or our second group to understand because there are going to be some guys like that on the schedule that we cannot get lulled to sleep and just thinking they are always going to be in that spot if we lose the integrity of our rush lane"

- HC Sean McVay

That is a pretty solid assessment of Bennett, particularly from the team's head coach. So how shoud fans interpret all of this? Well, it's safe to say that Stetson Bennett is part of the team's long-term future plans.

Let's go with the pessimistic projections that the team and Stafford have agreed that 2024 is the last season for him to compete, and that he has expressed his desire to retire from the NFL after this season. The only quarterback under contract for this team after 2024 in that case is QB Stetson Bennett. I do not see that as a mistake or coincidence.

If this team must 'start over' as soon as 2025, or 2026, then Bennett's presence on this roster is vital. Unlike rookies who are thrown to the deep end of the swimming pool and forced to sink or swim in live NFL action, the team is unlikely to push prospective quarterbacks into danger so quickly.

And just for the record, this moment was part of Stetson Bennett's college career:

Rams fans may not have seen the best of Bennett just yet, but I would tune in to the preseason games. Even as he will be playing with backups, I expect that he will have a much better command of the offense, and will get far more help in terms of offensive weapons and blocking.

If Stafford truly seeks to step away from the NFL after the 2024 NFL season, the team will continue to enter the 2025 NFL Draft with a pick in Round 1. That pick will then almost certainly be used to add a talented quarterback prospect to the mix.

Whether or not the LA Rams and QB Matthew Stafford continue on past the 2024 NFL season is simply not something we will know. But however the future turns out, you can rest easy knowing that this team has everything under control.

As always, thanks for reading.