Do the Rams Really Trust Stetson Bennett or Ty Simpson to Back Up Matthew Stafford?

As the Los Angeles Rams begin training camp, the battle for the backup quarterback role behind Matthew Stafford has been a focal point. While Stetson Bennett has taken all of the snaps with the second team over the first few days, Ty Simpson continues to grow and get comfortable in the offense.

When the Rams drafted Simpson with the 13th overall pick, head coach Sean McVay made it clear that Simpson would compete with Bennett. McVay was asked after the draft whether Simpson would back up Stafford. Said McVay, “We'll see, he's going to compete with Stetson.”

Stetson Bennett Opens Training Camp Ahead of Ty Simpson

To start training camp, Bennett has been the player to take all of the snaps that the backup quarterback would normally get. When Stafford missed the first day of training camp as the team managed his workload, it was Bennett throwing with the starting offense. On Monday with Stafford back in the lineup, Bennett took a majority of the reps with the second team.

However, despite the Rams spending a first-round pick on Simpson and Bennett being in his fourth season, it’s worth wondering if the team trusts either as the backup behind Stafford. It’s only the early days of training camp, but Simpson is someone who the Rams are going to bring along slowly. While the team will say all of the right things, the plan will be to keep Simpson on his own development path for as long as possible.

Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano was at Rams training camp on Monday and commented on the backup quarterback situation. “Simpson might not be ready to be the backup quarterback, and I’m not sure the team wants him to be that in his rookie season,” said Manzano. “He was third in line in Monday’s practice and saw limited snaps behind Stafford and Stetson Bennett.”

Throughout the McVay era, the Rams typically haven’t prioritized the backup quarterback position. In 2023, the Rams lost a game because they had to rely on Brett Rypien. When McVay had enough of Jared Goff in 2020, the Rams turned to John Wolford and even started him in a playoff game while Goff was healthy.

In 2022 when Stafford got hurt, the Rams turned to Wolford and Bryce Perkins.Everybody remembers Baker Mayfield’s fourth-quarter comeback in his debut. However, the Rams started Wolford in that game before he got hurt.

Do the Rams Really Trust Either Backup Quarterback?

Bennett is in his fourth year with the team and his only snaps have come in the preseason. Given his smaller frame and limitations as a passer, him holding up over the course of a full game would be risky. It appears, like Wolford, that Bennett may simply be the favorite as the backup due to his experience in the system.

“I’m not convinced the team has full confidence in Bennett taking over as the starter,” wrote Manzano. “If Bennett doesn’t show improvement in the summer, the Rams could be forced to cut him and look for a veteran on the open market or somehow bring back Jimmy Garoppolo. “

What the Competition Really Reveals

It’s fair to wonder if the Rams are currently in a similar situation as 2020. While they’ve been able to rely on Jimmy Garoppolo over the last few years, a return doesn’t seem likely at this point. The Rams could move on from Bennett and bring Garoppolo back. However, backing up Stafford and competing with a rookie may not be a situation that Garoppolo wants to be in.

Given Stafford’s age and injury history, the backup quarterback spot is one where the Rams should want some stability. While Stafford hasn’t missed a game the last two years, he did manage a herniated disc last year during training camp.

When the Rams could have started Bennett in Week 17 of 2024, they instead turned to Garoppolo. The Rams simply don’t know what they have in Bennett after four years, or if they have an idea, they don’t seem to care to find out. Meanwhile, Simpson’s development remains the priority and it was reported after the draft that the team would consider it a win if he never started a game before the end of his rookie contract.

It may come off during training camp that the Rams have a backup quarterback battle. However, it may only be that in name and not a competition that they actually want. If the Rams don't feel comfortable with or trust either Simpson or Bennett, it raises legitimate questions about the most important position on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Add us as a preferred source on Google