Rams GM is excited to watch Stetson Bennett in 2024 preseason
Stetson Bennett won’t be Matthew Stafford’s backup this year, but can earn respect in preseason
Football fans have been obsessing over Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett since he was drafted by L.A. in the fourth round last year, and his attendance at OTAs this week is another positive sign for his future and where he still has one with the franchise.
But the Rams signed Jimmy Garoppolo to backup Matthew Stafford in 2024 and potentially to even serve as a successor, so Bennett will be relegated to third-string duty or fighting for any job on the 53-man roster out of training camp.
To earn that respect to make Sean McVay’s team, Bennett is going to have to prove that he has developed as hoped when the Rams start their preseason schedule in August. Though L.A. general manager Les Snead says he finds the preseason “boring”, he acknowledged that players like Stetson Bennett are what make the games worth watching.
In an interview with WHNT News 19 in Alabama, Snead said that Bennett’s off-schedule play making ability is what made the Rams preseason entertaining in 2023 despite not staying with the team for very long in the regular season.
“Preseason football – and I’ll probably get in trouble for this – is absolutely boring to watch. But when you get a player like Stetson, he’s fun.
He’s got a little backyard ball to him where he uses his mobility to make some off-schedule plays, that makes preseason football fun. So I look forward to seeing how he evolves.”
On returning to the Rams in 2024, Sean McVay previously said that Bennett “looks good” and that he’s been “attentive” in meetings this year.
Back in March, Snead acknowledged that Bennett was getting onboarded for the 2024 season which implies the team still hopes he’s a part of the future despite spending most of 2023 on the NFI list.
Bennett is practicing with the team and he’s all set for his second training camp and preseason. Les Snead is excited to see how he plays and “evolves” in the preseason, even though Garoppolo will be the backup and exhibition games are boring.