Rams' overlooked coaching hire sets up Stetson Bennett for best summer yet

At first glance, the hiring of former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury to the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff may appear to be little more than one of the best and richest staffs in the NFL getting richer. But there is more to it than that, at least insofar as it also means great things for backup quarterback Stetson Bennett.

Wait. Isn't that the guy consistently labeled expendable? Yes, it is. He has been named as a cut candidate each year since he was drafted in 2023. This year, that is despite the fact that the former Georgia Bullldog has a good chance to establish himself as Matthew Stafford's backup.

Ponder that for a moment. Why would LA release Bennett when he is, at the very least, the roster's most veteran backup option?

Without much fanfare, Bennett has quietly built up his reputation among Rams coaches as a guy who can get the job done. But standing 5-foot-11 and weighing under 200 pounds put Bennett at a disadvantage.

Well, until Kliff Kingsbury showed up, that is.

Kliff Kingsbury can get the most out of Stetson Bennett

The Rams offense is designed to make Stafford's life easy. And that is how it should be. But Bennett, who stands a full four inches shorter, cannot run the same offense. It's simple physics. For Bennett to succeed, he cannot start under center.

Kingsbury mastered the art of moving Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray around. Murray, who stands 5-foot-10, faces the same vertical challenges that hamper Bennett. And yet, by moving him to set up a pocket from varying platforms and lining him up in the shotgun and pistol formations, Kingsbury was able to optimize Murray as a passer.

Now, he can workshop similar strategies to optimize Bennett. Prioritizing that makes sense, as the team is counting on Bennett to compete for the vital backup role.

The Rams once entrusted the backup job to John Wolford and Bryce Perkins. They have poured significant resources into the coaching staff to develop quarterbacks. The main beneficiary of that coaching acumen has been Stetson Bennett.

Los Angeles drafted Ty Simpson to be a future franchise quarterback, not to take over today. Head coach Sean McVay is cautious when it comes to handing over the keys to his offense. Bennett has proven he can lead the group in the preseason and in practice. Simpson has a long hill to climb to get to that point.

As always, thanks for reading.

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