The Los Angeles Rams have their starting quarterback for the regular season with 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford set to return for his 18th season. But the team faces some decisions regarding the backup quarterback position after investing a 2026 1st round draft pick in Ty Simpson. The team still has Stetson Bennett on the roster, a 4th round draft choice in the 2023 NFL Draft. Neither Simpson or Bennett has regular season experience; leaving a lot of fans wondering who is the best option if Matthew Stafford were
to get injured. Well, after training camp and two preseason games, the job is still a very tight race…
Stetson Bennett’s Case:
Stetson Bennett is the “incumbent”. Going into training camp, he was QB2 purely because of his familiarity with Sean McVay’s system and playbook. Bennett had a solid 2025 NFL preseason but was still stuck behind Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart. Now, Bennett is being tested to see if he is a viable option.
Bennett’s four seasons in Sean McVay’s system give him a significant advantage in understanding the terminology, protections, timing and expectations of the offense. The Rams have already invested years in developing him, and that experience matters if Matthew Stafford is forced to miss time.
One other argument for Bennett is that he has been exposed to more situations via joint practices and preseason action. Even though those experiences are not against an opposing defense’s best 11 players, being able to see coverages at the NFL carries weight that Ty Simpson has not quite been fully exposed to other than one training cmap.
Ty Simpson’s Case:
Simpson’s case is pretty simple. He has more upside than Bennett. Simpson also brings physical tools and mobility that could give Sean McVay another dimension when plays break down. While Stetson Bennett has more experience in the Rams’ system, Simpson may have the higher ceiling.
One of Simpson’s strong suits in his college film is his quick processing – a key staple for Sean McVay’s rhythm and timing offense. Is Simpson’s processing better than Bennett? It might be.
Prediction: Bennett wins QB2 job
Unless the Rams find a trade partner for Stetson Bennett, I believe he earns the QB2 job to start the regular season while still giving Ty Simpson a healthy amount of development in practices. If another team experiences an injury during the regular season, the Rams could dangle Stetson Bennett for a Day 3 pick. Les Snead loves a good 6th round draft choice.
