Sean McVay is keeping the Rams’ quarterback competition in motion, but his latest comments also made clear where the focus is right now: rookie Ty Simpson still has work to do, even as Stetson Bennett has been the one setting the pace at training camp.
McVay said rookies arrive at a major disadvantage and need time to absorb everything the Rams are throwing at them. He stressed the value of daily progress and competitive reps across the roster.
“I think it's important and I think the important thing is really, let's be understanding of the fact that when these rookies come in, whether it's Ty or any of the guys, they are way behind the eight ball already," stated McVay via theramswire.usatoday.com. "The information will be accelerated in terms of how we throw it at them now, but it's really, let's just stack days. I think you want to create as many competitive situations, not exclusive to the quarterback, but for all of our players because I want us to get comfortable with, what does productive failure look like?”
That stance gives Simpson some room to grow, but it also comes at a time when Bennett has been the steadier quarterback through the offseason. Bennett entered camp already knowing he would have to fend off Simpson, and so far he has done enough to stay in front in the battle for the backup job.
The timing matters, too. Bennett is in the final year of his contract, which makes this season a big one for his future in Los Angeles. He has been with the Rams since they drafted him in 2023, backing up Matthew Stafford, and this is his clearest path yet to move up the depth chart now that Jimmy Garoppolo is no longer with the organization.
With a rookie in the room instead of a veteran, Bennett has a clear experience edge. He knows the Rams’ playbook better, he knows his teammates, and he knows what it takes to operate in the system. If he wins the No. 2 job behind Stafford, that would put him in line for game reps during the season and likely give him the preseason starts as well, since the Rams have not played Stafford in preseason games in the past.
Those snaps could be Bennett’s best chance to show he can be more than a backup. If he gets them, he’ll need to make them count before his contract runs out after the season.
There is also a belief around the league that the Rams may move on from Bennett after this year no matter what happens. Simpson’s rookie contract would be the cheaper option going forward, and teams usually want more than one season to evaluate a first-round pick.
That leaves Bennett with a simple task: beat Simpson this offseason and use every preseason and regular-season opportunity to make a case for staying in the league as a potential starter somewhere else.
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Just Put Georgias Biggest Offensive Standard Back In Focus
Kirby Smart has put Georgias ground game back in the center of the conversation, and for good reason. Running the football has long been part of the programs identity, but Smart made clear that last seasons effort fell short of the standard inside Athens, even if the Bulldogs still averaged 182.1 rushing yards per game and finished among the better teams nationally in that category.
The expectation now is that Georgia can lean on a familiar backfield to push that number higher, with Gunner Stockton back at quarterback and Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens, Dwight Phillips Jr. and Bo Walker all in position to contribute. The challenge got a little steeper with Dante Dowdell sidelined for the long term, but the bigger issue remains whether the Bulldogs can turn a steadier run game into more explosive offense overall. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Have 2 New Reasons To Watch Friday Closely
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On the football side, Kirby Smart has also nudged offensive coordinator Mike Bobo toward a heavier emphasis on the run game this season, a reminder that Georgia is still trying to shape its identity on that side of the ball. Add in the fact that Miami is still pushing hard for five-star recruit Kemon Spell despite his public commitment to Georgia, and Friday has a chance to tell Bulldogs fans a lot about where both of their biggest programs are headed. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Frazier Could End A Georgia Drought Fans Know Too Well
Nate Frazier enters the season with the kind of opportunity Georgia has not handed out to a tailback in a while. After rushing for 947 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore, he is positioned to be the Bulldogs lead back, and the path is there for him to become the programs first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019. He also dealt with an ankle injury late in the year, which cost him part of the Sugar Bowl and trimmed his work in the spring.
The good news for Georgia is that Frazier is expected to be fully involved once fall camp opens, giving the Bulldogs a chance to lean on a runner who already proved he can handle a featured role. For a team that has spread the ball around in recent seasons, having one back build toward a milestone like this would say plenty about both Fraziers growth and the kind of offense Georgia may need to rely on when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]