The Los Angeles Rams have been quiet when it comes to the availability of Matthew Stafford and the severity of his back injury that has kept him sidelined all summer. If Stafford is forced to miss extended time, the team has veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to help hold down the fort until he is available again, but with Stetson Bennett’s recent success in the preseason could he push for a chance to start?
After declining to confirm if Stafford was put through his scheduled workout Saturday, the team said
that coach McVay would “address the situation” at a Monday press conference. It’s not often a team will call a press conference just to say a player is ok, so this has the ominous feeling of a team on the verge of losing their starting QB to injury for a decent period of time. If that ends up being the case and Stafford is added to the PUP or IR list, his timetable for return should directly correlate with which quarterback the Rams start Week 1.
A scenario where Bennett should start
I know, I can feel the collective eye roll already at the idea that after just two solid preseason games Stetson Bennett should jump an 11-year veteran with experience starting in a Super Bowl, but there is one specific scenario in which I believe this would be the best thing for the franchise.
This would be if Matthew Stafford is forced to have some kind of back surgery that causes him to miss the entire season.
In a worst case scenario type event where Stafford is announced to miss the season, I think there would be no doubt at that point that 2025 would be his last season in Los Angeles, and frankly maybe the league. The Rams would be forced to consider their future at QB even more than they already need to. The team already knows what they have in Garoppolo, he’s been there two seasons and they’ve played him for years during his time in San Francisco, at best he’s a bridge quarterback for a short period of time. Bennett is still a young player with unknown upside as far as NFL playing years go.
Bennett provides a chance for the Rams to potentially find a young, long term answer at quarterback. If the confidence is not there that Garoppolo could lead you from Week 1 to a Super Bowl, let’s see what the younger player can do. At best, maybe you find out you have a cheaper, younger long-term answer at backup quarterback or even a solid starter if he impresses enough.
On the flip side, if Stafford is out and the Rams need a quarterback, next year’s draft class should be pretty impressive. With talent like Arch Manning, Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik potentially coming out, and Los Angeles already owning two first round picks due to their trade with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2024 draft, their chances of grabbing a top talent quarterback next season are trending up. If the team has the added pressure of knowing they have to find a QB for 2026, Garoppolo going out and winning nine games is not going to help LA’s draft position. Bennett provides you the chance to either find a quarterback capable of being your long term starter, or he struggles and your draft pick goes higher and higher.
Nobody wants to watch a lost season but in a situation where Stafford is out for the entire year it will naturally feel lost either way. I would much rather watch a quarterback develop to become a starter or valuable trade piece rather than see one that we know has moved past his prime and is no longer a long-term answer. He might win you an extra game or two, but as stated above, when trying to position yourself for a top quarterback that might not even be that good of a thing.
All that said, coming back down to earth it’s clear that in any scenario where Stafford is available later in the season, even if it’s as late as Week 8, Garoppolo is the best option if you are trying to keep the season afloat for Stafford to get back. Given his past starting experience and success, Garoppolo should be able to at least keep the team around or above .500.
You can never call anything a guarantee, but I think that most would agree that Garoppolo is good enough to win you 4 or 5 games over a hypothetical eight game stretch of games. If Stafford was to go on IR designated to return, I don’t think there’s any doubt Garoppolo would be starting for Sean McVay, especially if there is any chance that his starting quarterback can get back on the field at a later time.
Fingers are crossed at today’s press conference McVay will announce Stafford’s return to the team and the field, however if the prognosis is not good, both Garoppolo and Bennett will have some big shoes to fill. What happens this season could affect the Rams and their plans at quarterback for the next 10-15 years, whether that’s potentially moving forward with Bennett or doing the things to secure a top spot in next year’s draft to select one.
