When the Los Angeles Rams selected Stetson Bennett with the 128th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the vision was clear: back up Matthew Stafford and perhaps, down the road, emerge as a long-term option under center. Two years later, that vision remains just that — a possibility, not yet a reality.
Bennett, now entering his third NFL season, has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game. After making the initial 53-man roster as a rookie, he was placed on the reserve list for undisclosed personal reasons and missed the entire 2023 campaign. He returned to the team last season, but was ultimately buried on the depth chart behind Stafford and newly signed veteran Jimmy Garoppolo. That pecking order hasn’t changed heading into 2025, and it leaves Bennett’s status as the Rams’ QB3 uncertain.
Yet despite the lack of on-field experience, there are signs of encouragement — and investment — in his development.
Stetson Bennett’s Los Angeles Rams Future: Promise, Patience, and the Pressure to Perform
“He’s shown a ton of growth, particularly from two years ago,” said offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. “A lot of credit to him, and also to [quarterbacks coach] Dave [Ragone], Jimmy, and Matthew. They’ve taken him under their wings, and it’s showing. He’s on the right track.”
LaFleur emphasized that Bennett’s next step isn’t about pressure or perfection, but rather progression.
“He just needs to play football,” LaFleur said. “Right now, it’s flag football in shorts. But he’s preparing like a pro every day to give himself the best shot when preseason comes.”
That preseason will be critical. Bennett played in all three exhibition games last year, flashing occasional playmaking but ultimately finishing with a concerning stat line: 58.5% completion on 131 attempts, three touchdowns, and eight interceptions — tied for the most in the league. His 5.9 yards per attempt and seven sacks taken underscored the challenges he’s had adjusting to the NFL’s pace and complexity.
If he doesn’t take a clear step forward this summer, the Rams will face a tough decision when final cuts arrive. With Stafford and Garoppolo entrenched, will they keep three quarterbacks again, or use that roster spot elsewhere?
It’s a fair question. Patience with developmental quarterbacks is short across the NFL — even in a media market as relaxed as Los Angeles. And some in the football media sphere have already started asking whether it’s time to move on. A recent SB Nation piece titled “Will Rams Let Stetson Bennett’s Preseason Nightmare Continue?” pointed to his lackluster performances and questioned whether there’s any future left in L.A. for the former Georgia hero.
Still, Rams leadership has yet to voice any definitive doubts. In fact, general manager Les Snead once described Bennett’s game as having “a little backyard ball to him,” highlighting the same creativity and improvisation that made him a two-time College Football Playoff MVP. At Georgia, he was surrounded by NFL talent — from Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey to Zamir White and Kenny McIntosh — but his leadership, clutch play, and athleticism helped elevate an already loaded roster into a dynasty.
But the NFL is a different beast. Bennett, who turns 28 in October, is no longer a college underdog — he’s a professional athlete whose margin for error is shrinking. He acknowledged the steep learning curve early in his pro career, telling The Athletic, “I’m coachable because I don’t know… I can adapt. I can do it. But I don’t know this league.”
That humility and self-awareness have helped him win respect internally. But will it translate to results?
The Rams open preseason play on August 9 against the Cowboys, followed by a cross-town clash with the Chargers on August 16. In a poetic twist, Bennett will share the field with former Georgia teammates George Pickens and Ladd McConkey — two receivers who helped fuel his rise in college.
Whether he still has a chance to write the next chapter of his football journey — in L.A. or elsewhere — remains to be seen. But the opportunity is approaching, and Bennett will need to show not only that he belongs on an NFL roster, but that he’s still capable of surprising those who doubt him.
After all, he’s done it before.
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