Jimmy Garoppolo Could Still Be the Perfect Backup for the Rams

Over the past two seasons, the Los Angeles Rams have gotten stability from the backup quarterback position with Jimmy Garoppolo. Earlier this offseason, Garoppolo contemplated retirement, leading to the Rams going in a different direction and drafting Ty Simpson in the first round.

Jimmy Garoppolo is Open to Playing

However, according to recent reports, Garoppolo is now open to playing this season in the right situation. "In the right situation, he will come back and he will play football," said NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "He has not decided to retire. He just needed some time to himself this offseason. But Jimmy Garopplo is not retiring from my understanding."

From The Insiders: Jimmy Garoppolo considered retirement this spring but is very much open to playing this season in the right situation. Nothing imminent but he’s an experienced, veteran QB available for a team that might need one in the near future. pic.twitter.com/Q60E9tFCXD
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 22, 2026

The backup quarterback position is one that typically troubled the Rams throughout the Sean McVay era. Early in McVay’s tenure, the Rams had Sean Mannion before moving to John Wolford. Despite getting some production out of Wolford, his frame was unable to take the physicality required in the NFL.

During the 2022 season, the Rams had to rely on Wolford and Bryce Perkins before signing Baker Mayfield. The next season, the Rams lost a game in which they had to rely on Brett Rypien. Since then, the Rams have placed more value on the backup quarterback position.

In 2024, the Rams signed Garoppolo as a free agent to help mentor Stetson Bennett as a potential long-term backup quarterback option. However, in two years, Garoppolo started one game and the Rams haven’t played Bennett outside of the preseason. Last year was the first time that Bennett looked somewhat comfortable.

The Rams Can't Afford to Gamble at Backup Quarterback

Heading into the 2026 season, the Rams do have some question marks at the backup quarterback spot. They are set to have a backup quarterback battle between Bennett and Simpson. The expectation and hope will be for Simpson to win that battle.

Still, if Stafford were to go down, would the Rams be able to count on Simpson or Bennett? In a Super Bowl season, that’s a lot of pressure for a rookie. Meanwhile, Bennett has never played in a regular season game.

Over the past few seasons, Stafford has managed to stay healthy and play every game. With that said, he missed half of the 2022 season with a spinal cord contusion and then missed a game in 2023 with a UCL sprain in his thumb. At this time last year, it was uncertain if Stafford was going to be ready for Week 1. Stafford missed the entirety of training camp with a herniated disc in his back.

Why Jimmy Garoppolo Still Makes Sense for the Rams

Ideally, Stafford is able to remain healthy in 2026 and the Rams can get another full season. However, in a Super Bowl season, they also need to be prepared if that isn’t the case. Garoppolo may not be the player he once was, but he understands the offense and has led a team to the Super Bowl before. He’s proven to be able to get a team with a strong supporting cast deep in the playoffs.

At this point, it’s hard to know exactly how the Rams view Bennett. They could have gone into this season with Bennett as the sole backup and used him as a bridge quarterback post-Stafford. However, instead they drafted a quarterback with the 13th overall pick to hopefully be the backup this season and then take over for Stafford when he retires. It seems Bennett is viewed as the QB3 at most.

Meanwhile, Simpson is just a rookie with limited college experience, let alone experience in the NFL. The Rams will want to do what they can to bring him along slowly. Having Simpson begin his career as the QB3 behind an experienced player like Garoppolo could be beneficial for his development.

That would create a dilemma with Bennett, but again, what’s his future on the roster? Bennett is on the last year of his rookie deal and will be a restricted free agent. It's unlikely the Rams would bring Bennett back at the restricted free agent tender amount.

A Reunion Makes Sense for Both Sides

The Rams could simply cut ties with Bennett now, re-sign Garoppolo, and then have Simpson behind two experienced players. Simpson is very clearly the future at the quarterback position for the Rams. However, having a veteran backup behind Stafford in a Super Bowl season is likely the best form of insurance. That’s especially the case with Garoppolo who knows the offense and has playoff experience.

While Garoppolo may only return for the right situation, it’s hard to say that the Rams wouldn’t be that. He may not start, but backing up a championship roster and mentoring a young quarterback is about as good a situation as he can ask for at this stage of his career.

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