The Los Angeles Rams are in a much better position this time of the offseason compared to last year as last year’s draft class proved to be impactful from day 1 and head coach Sean McVay and his staff won’t need to spend as much time teaching and onboarding.
Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, Byron Young and Kobie Turner are set to take on bigger roles in their sophomore seasons, while incoming rookies like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Blake Corum and Kamren Kinchens are expected to play early on. The Rams are brimming with young talent that lends optimism to the idea that they can compete both immediately and in the future.
While the 2023 NFL Draft class featured several long-term pieces, the jury’s still out on Stetson Bennett whom Los Angeles traded up in the fourth round to serve as their backup quarterback to Matthew Stafford. Bennett has a winning pedigree after leading Georgia to consecutive CFP Championships but missed all of his rookie year after being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list.
In an appearance on UNRESERVED with TJ Callaway, Bennett explained where he went during his absence:
“Home,” Bennett said when the host asked where he has been. “I went home for a minute. Kind of had to clear my head. I don’t know, it was a bunch of everything all at once it felt like. Just needed some fresh air. And, you know, the Rams and all that were gracious enough to let that happen… I just needed a little bit of a break.”
McVay and the organization didn’t release much information when Bennett was originally placed on the reserve/non-football illness list, opting to keep the matter private. From Bennett’s comments, one can only assume that he had a lot going on in his personal life and needed the time away from football to get right.
It’s easy to forget that athletes are humans, too, and are entitled to taking a mental break when they feel like they need one. Fortunately for Los Angeles, Bennett seems to be in a much better place now and drew rave reviews from McVay for his participation in OTAs.
Les Snead doesn’t regret drafting Rams’ Stetson Bennett
Not having Stetson Bennett on the team last season didn’t affect the Rams’ on-field success, but it would’ve been good to have him around so he could develop behind the scenes. Despite Bennett missing the entirety of his rookie year, general manager Les Snead said he didn’t regret drafting him.
