The Los Angeles Rams are in the final stages of preparation for the beginning of the 2023 season. Their week 1 battle against the Seattle Seahawks in the Pacific Northwest on Sunday will kick off what figures to be a unique season under the reign of Sean McVay and Les Snead. And it appears the team already has some major injuries to add to it, including backup quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Bennett took a majority of snaps for the Rams at the quarterback position during preseason, as the rookie was selected for his rare veteran poise given his college years at Georgia. He was slated to be Matthew Stafford’s backup for the season, but it seems he won’t be that for Week 1.
McVay revealed that Bennett is having some trouble with his shoulder, meaning the Rams are turning to Brett Rypien to back up Stafford in the season opener, according to Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
Meanwhile, McVay said Bennett’s right shoulder has been bothering him “on and off” over the last couple of weeks.
With Bennett out, Brett Rypien will serve as the Rams’ backup quarterback on Sunday. McVay said the Rams are talking about signing a third quarterback, “but for this week, we will not.”
Rypien is in his fourth NFL season, spending his first three campaigns as a backup QB for the Denver Broncos. He has played in eight career games (three starts) and has thrown for 778 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Of course, the hope is there is no need for a backup quarterback, as Stafford appears to be back in good health after an injury-plagued 2022 campaign. But McVay and the Rams have enough faith in Rypien that they will not seek a third quarterback in Bennett’s absence, at least this week.
New NFL rules allow for a team to carry a third emergency quarterback that does not count against the 53-man active roster. According to McVay, they won’t be taking advantage of that rule on Sunday against the Seahawks.
Cooper Kupp out Week 1
In even more concerning injury news, star wide receiver Cooper Kupp was ruled out for Week 1 against the Seahawks due to his ongoing hamstring issue. McVay hinted that Kupp’s injury is severe enough that it could lead to him being placed on injured reserve, although that move has not been confirmed.
It appears the Rams will re-evaluate the situation after Week 1, but they will not have Kupp on the field when they take on the Seahawks.
