‘The Superpowers!’ Rams Reveal Stetson Bennett Backup Move Reason

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead explained why the team decided that rookie Stetson Bennett was ready to be the team's backup quarterback.

Despite throwing two interceptions in a 41-0 preseason finale loss to the Denver Broncos, rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett will be the Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback in 2023. And given that a pair of trips to concussion protocol limited Matthew Stafford to just nine games a season ago, it's hardly a given that this will be a de-facto redshirt rookie season for Bennett. 

But by releasing veteran Brett Rypien, the Rams made Bennett the primary backup for Stafford, a decision that general manager Les Snead explained. 

"Well, I think that you are always trying to predict whether the… I call it the superpowers, a skillset that he displayed in college," Snead said of Bennett. "Does it translate to the NFL? … We did see some of that.”

Stetson Bennett will be the backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today)

Between the three preseason tilts that the Rams had, Bennett completed 36 of 62 passes for 347 yards with one touchdown pass, one touchdown rush and three interceptions. The preseason was very much a mixed bag for Bennett. 

Still, the Rams used a fourth-round pick on the former Georgia star, who will already turn 26 in October. Snead says the Rams have seen enough good from Bennett to believe that if he had to enter a regular-season game that coach Sean McVay has game-planned for, he would swim, rather than sink. 

There's the possibility that the Rams -- who are a top-heavy group with a brutal schedule to open the season -- are just not very good in 2023. In the event that the Rams end up with a top-10 pick in next year's NFL Draft, they would probably like to know what they have in Bennett before deciding whether or not to take a young quarterback. Getting him more practice reps and having him as the first line of defense if Stafford gets injured helps to accomplish that goal.