Latest Stetson Bennett IV update from Rams continues doubt about NFL future

The Los Angeles Rams had quite the rebound in 2023 as compared to their disastrous 2022 season. A lot of that can be credited to head coach Sean McVay for getting the most out of his roster, and general manager Les Snead taking advantage of their limited resources to find players like Puka Nacua. That resulted in the Rams making it back to the playoffs, resulting in a narrow Wild Card Round loss to the Detroit Lions.

This offseason, the Lions have a ton of cap space to utilize to bolster their roster to make a deeper run in the playoffs in 2024. But will they be in the market for a backup quarterback behind Matthew Stafford?

Last year, the Rams used a fourth-round draft pick on Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett IV. Expected to be Stafford's primary backup, Bennett was placed on the reserve/non-illness list last September, and didn't make an appearance for the team since.

McVay spoke with reporters on Thursday about Bennett's status with the team. The Rams head coach said he would reach out to Bennett at "the appropriate time" to get some clarity.

Sean McVay provides vague update on Stetson Bennett's status with Rams

“I think the first thing is you connect with him, which we’ll do that at the appropriate time, and you figure out, where are you at and is this something that we feel like is best for him and for our football team to bring him back into this ecosystem?” McVay said, h/t the New York Post. “Those will be conversations that we will have. And then, I think once we have a better idea of what we’ll do with that, then that will give clarity.

“But you do make sure that you know that right now, we’ve got Matthew Stafford. And really in our minds, we don’t have a backup quarterback that’s on this roster. But we’ll see what that looks like in terms of how that affects Stetson and the draft or free agency.”

So there's no true update on Bennett's status with the team, other than that McVay is going to speak with him at some point.

When Bennett was drafted by the Rams, it felt fitting. He would play home games at SoFi Stadium, the very venue in which he helped lead Georgia to their second consecutive CFP National Championship in his final game with the team. In the 65-7 win over the TCU Horned Frogs, Bennett threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns while completing 18-of-25 pass attempts, and ran for two touchdowns.

Bennett's only logged playing time was during the preseason. In the Rams' three games against the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders, Bennett completed 22-of-56 pass attempts for 347 yards and one touchdown, while throwing three interceptions.

But with Bennett stepping away, the Rams brought in former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz to be Stafford's primary backup in the middle of this past season. Wentz is currently set to be a free agent.

We will find out about Bennett's status with the Rams in 2024 once the quarterback or team provides an official statement.