Rams sitting Stetson Bennett all preseason won't help him fix his flaws

Unless something changes between now and the start of the season, Stetson Bennett will be the Los Angeles Rams' backup quarterback. During training camp, dueling rookie Ty Simpson in what turned out to be nearly no duel at all, Bennett took command of the second-team offense as well as the first-string unit when Matthew Stafford sat out. 

That said, there are still some hurdles to clear before a majority of fans feel confident with Bennett at QB2. For one, he'll have to cut down on the reckless throws that accompanied his well-placed ones throughout camp:

"Thursday was another up-and-down session for Bennett," observed The Athletic's Nate Atkins last week. "He threw a pick six to Shaun Dolac when he didn’t see the linebacker hovering in zone and breaking downhill. Bennett has been tripped up for at least one turnover-worthy throw like that per practice. He’s been a risk-taker, which is more tolerable in a practice than a game."

That's part execution, part need for better judgment. The good news is that practice is just the place to make mistakes; at the same time, Bennett needs an opportunity to iron them out before the real thing begins. 

In that context, it was rather odd to hear head coach Sean McVay waffle on whether Bennett will see time in the preseason. Simpson, he said, definitely will. While the Rams don't play key contributors in meaningless games, Bennett's situation is much different than, say, former LA backup Jimmy Garoppolo's. The latter arrived in Los Angeles in 2024 with 63 career starts to his name, and a trip to the Super Bowl. 

Even as it contradicts Rams tradition, giving Bennett some share of preseason playing time makes too much sense to ignore.

Sitting Bennett all preseason would do Rams more harm than good

Being a primary backup is after all a completely new role for Bennett, who last season served as the emergency QB3 behind Stafford and Garoppolo. Despite entering his fourth Rams season, he is still awaiting his first official snap. Even after separating from Simpson, it's only natural that Bennett should have some further maturing to do.

Obviously, he doesn't have Garoppolo's experience. But his scenario is also distinct from that of an inexperienced backup at another position, given the importance of the quarterback. That's another reason for the Rams to break their preseason procedure, which is unique to begin with, compared to other teams'.

If Stafford tweaks his back and misses a game at some point this year, Bennett must prove capable of game-managing the offense to the tune of 20 or so pass attempts. Sitting him all preseason could be downright irresponsible.

Of course, now might be the time to acknowledge that McVay and the Rams coaching staff will have a much clearer idea of Bennett's capabilities than the most devoted superfan.

Still, the idea of holding him out almost feels a) like a stubborn commitment to organizational custom or b) like an attempt by the Rams to prove once again that they are the smartest team in the room. We don't need to see another down from our still-snap-less QB2. Watch and learn, suckers.

Yes, Bennett has dominated in the preseason before, but now that the Rams need him to play a real role, it's even more important that they make sure he's ready to go and firmly in the flow when Week 1 kicks off. It makes sense to let him grease his wheels against an opposing defense - rather than the Rams' own in practice - before being put on standby in a real game.

No one should expect Bennett to fill Garoppolo's shoes, but if he's going to be QB2, the Rams should give him a chance to fine-tune his ball placement and improve his decision-making over the last few weeks before the pre-season layoff. Bennett has as much in-game experience as you or I do. He needs all the reps he can get. 

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