After missing the entirety of his rookie year, Stetson Bennett is back with the Los Angeles Rams.
Bennett was placed on the NFL’s reserve/non-football illness list prior to the start of the 2023 season and he revealed that he took time for himself and went back home to clear his head.
The young signal caller was primed to be the team’s backup to Matthew Stafford, but the Rams were forced to pivot in his absence. This offseason, Los Angeles addressed the quarterback room by signing Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency, though Bennett figures to still be in the mix.
In an appearance on UNRESERVED with TJ Callaway, Bennett said he’s been learning form both Stafford and Garoppolo during the offseason:
“He’s the man,” Bennett said. “He’s the man. And Jimmy, too. I’m learning a lot from him. Mainly things that you kind of – he just does the right thing, and he can throw it better than anybody. Just learning how to be a quarterback, and who knows if that’ll – I hope I’m good enough to do it, doing everything I can to do it. But just learning, and I think I did a good job of it at Georgia, of being a quarterback inside the locker room. Like, as I grew into it, a leader and do things the right way.
“But Matthew’s been a starting quarterback in the league for I guess 16 years now. He’s won a Super Bowl, but he’s also been on bad teams so he’s seen and known how to handle himself. So I just kind of sit back and try to learn from him. And he’s super helpful.”
For a young player like Bennett, he’s got great resources in Stafford and Garoppolo who have played in Super Bowls and been leaders for teams for a long time. Bennett is no stranger to winning as he led Georgia to two consecutive CFP Championships, but winning in the NFL is a completely different beast.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Rams will carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man, but Bennett seems poised to compete for a spot and prove he’s worth the long-term investment.
Rams’ Blake Corum shares high praise for Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford has drawn rave reviews from teammates and opponents alike throughout the years because of his talent as a passer and his toughness on the field. Blake Corum hasn’t gotten a chance to work directly with Stafford yet, but had high praise for the veteran Rams quarterback.