Stetson Bennett makes ‘big time’ throw-in bid for Rams backup QB job

Stetson Bennett’s NFL future is on the line in Los Angeles as he battles to win the second-team quarterback position behind league MVP Matthew Stafford.

Bennett, in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, is looking to prove his worth as a capable backup for what’s projected to be a Super Bowl-capable team, despite his not having taken a snap in an NFL game his first three seasons in the NFL.

Ty Simpson, selected 13th overall in the first round of last April’s NFL Draft recently signed a four-year, $25.4 million fully guaranteed deal, which would seem to indicate the Rams view him as their quarterback of the future.

But as Los Angles coach Sean McVay explained after the second day of training camp earlier this week, the quarterback competition is real and for now, fluid.

“I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into a one-size approach (to the QB competition),” McVay said. “Stetson got the majority of those reps with the second group (second practice), but Ty came in today and did a nice job with the one set that he did have.”

Bennett opened training camp getting the first-team snaps with Stafford, entering his 18th season in the NFL, on a limited training camp schedule to maintain maximized health status.

“We’ll continue to evaluate (the QB position), but being able to figure out what that looks like is important,” said McVay, who could opt to keep three quarterbacks on the roster if Bennett is impressive enough.

“I think both of those guys (Bennett and Simpson) have done a nice job, but having No. 9 (Stafford) out there, he looked pretty damn sharp, so it’s good to have him back.”

Stafford, who missed the majority of fall camp last year because of a severe back issue, noted that Bennett had a particularly impressive play in the team’s opening fall practice.

In discussing the Rams competitive balance in fall drills, Stafford let slip that Bennett had a “big-time” throw to star receiver Puka Nacua.

“There’s plays out there where we just miss on one because it’s great defense, and Sean highlights them in team meetings,” Stafford said.

“On the flip side, I know our defense enjoys in that same meeting watching Stetson Bennett slide to his left and hit a big-time in-cut (route) that was an unbelievable play and throw to Puka … “

Bennett’s opportunity to win the second-team job opened up when veteran Jimmy Garoppolo — Stafford’s backup the past two seasons — stepped away as a free-agent to consider retirement.

Neither Bennett nor Simpson stood out in the spring drills, per published reports.

McVay, however, gave a positive report on Bennett following the OTA workouts, noting the “tremendous growth” of the two-time Georgia CFP Championship Game MVP.

“He’s earning the confidence of his teammates in terms of commanding the huddle,” McVay said on the Rams team website. “Then, he’s done a lot of good stuff in terms of reading with his feet.”

Former Georgia starter and four-year NFL backup QB veteran Jake Fromm noted the challenge for Bennett, who’s in the final year of his $4.5 million contract.

“There’s a lot invested in Ty to get up to speed, get repetitions, and at the end of the day, play quarterback for the Rams,” Fromm told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s not impossible for Stetson to overcome, but it’s a lot.”