The more things change, the more they stay the same, and the Los Angeles Rams are experiencing that idiom in real-time behind star quarterback Matthew Stafford as they prepare for training camp in July.
Last offseason, it was uncertainty in the QB room due to Stafford possibly retiring, seeking a new contract, and even exploring trade options. Those are all resolved this time around.
Instead, the Rams’ plan in case of emergency is facing significant scrutiny.
Rams’ Plan Behind Matthew Stafford Facing Scrutiny
Getty Ty Simpson is the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford for the Los Angeles Rams.
Stafford, 38, won his first MVP award last season, but the campaign began with the Rams’ franchise passer dealing with a back injury during the offseason that nearly landed him on injured reserve to begin the campaign.
Rams head coach Sean McVay turned to Jimmy Garoppolo during practices. They tabbed Stetson Bennett IV in preseason games with Stafford on the mend.
The Rams cannot replicate that with rookie first-round pick Ty Simpson in Garoppolo’s place.
“The backup quarterback race is on. This was how Sean McVay presented it upon the selection of Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick, and then Stetson Bennett took reps first in the two practices Matthew Stafford missed to manage his back. Neither Bennett nor Simpson were able to stand out ahead of the other in these moments, as both worked on crossers, slants, outs and other basic routes, and neither produced much down the field,” The Athletic’s Nate Atkins wrote on June 22, noting low moments from both QBs.
“It’s just not as simple as it was with Jimmy Garoppolo, who had started 63 games before he became Stafford’s backup the past two seasons. Los Angeles planned on bringing Garoppolo back even with the plan to draft Simpson, but with Garoppolo leaning toward retirement, time will tell whether Simpson or Bennett are ready to fill a void the Rams consider significant with Stafford’s need to take time off and with the risk from each time Stafford takes a hit.”
Bennett, 28, was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft. He has yet to take a snap during a regular season contest. Simpson, taken 13th overall by the Rams this year and one of two unsigned first-round picks, will presumably leapfrog Bennett as soon as the rookie is ready.
Rams Honest About Jimmy Garoppolo
GettyStetson Bennett IV is stepping into the role held by Jimmy Garoppolo over the past two seasons.
Garoppolo was a two-time Super Bowl champion as a backup. He also reached the big game as a starter. There is no replacing that kind of experience. The Rams have not shied away from their interest in re-signing Garoppolo.
McVay acknowledged in March that it seemed “less likely than likely.”
“You leave the door open,” McVay said, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on X in April. “You don’t want to press. We want to be able to give him his time, and he knows where we stand.”
Those remarks, in combination with the Rams’ decision to select Simpson, would seem to suggest that the Rams have little faith in Bennett as a long-term fill-in option should something happen to Stafford.
That makes their current setup something to monitor when training camp opens in July.
Rams Get Cold Truth About Plan Behind Matthew Stafford