Stetson Bennett has already done the easy part with the Rams. He made the 53-man roster, and that was never really the question.
The real issue hanging over him now is whether he’s going to open the season as Los Angeles’ No. 2 quarterback or slip to No. 3.
That answer still isn’t in hand with the Rams just nine days from their first regular season game on Sept. 10.
Training camp is over, the preseason is finished, and the team still hasn’t settled on whether Bennett or Ty Simpson will be the backup. That silence says plenty about where Bennett stands.
Both quarterbacks put together strong camps. Bennett had the early edge in practice, taking reps before Simpson, and he also started the two preseason games he appeared in. But Simpson forced the issue with one of the best preseason runs by any quarterback in the NFL, making the Rams’ decision a tough one.
Bennett had his own bright moments, too. His best showing came in the Rams’ second preseason game, when he threw efficiently and added two rushing touchdowns. That kind of performance gave him a real case to stay in the mix.
Still, only one of them can be the backup this season, and the Rams need to make that call before Sept. 10. Even if Bennett wins the job for now, the bigger picture isn’t especially encouraging for him.
His contract runs out after this season, and while the Rams could resign him, that looked unlikely once they drafted Simpson in the first round. Simpson’s preseason play has only made that feel more distant. The Rams’ hesitation to name a backup now suggests they already trust Simpson a lot.
Bennett may still have the edge because he knows the system and has been in the building longer, but if Simpson is already this close to passing him, the Rams may be preparing to hand the full-time backup role to Simpson next season.
That would leave Bennett looking elsewhere for work in 2025. And with no regular-season game experience on his résumé, finding a new team could be a challenge, especially if that team needs someone who can step in and start.
So while the Rams sort out their backup quarterback situation for this season, the larger message around Bennett is hard to miss. After this year, Los Angeles looks ready to move forward with Simpson. Things can change, but right now Bennett’s future with the Rams feels shaky.
In Other News...
Jayden Wade Just Ended A Georgia QB Rumor Fans Kept Watching
Jayden Wade has taken one of the more persistent recruiting questions off the board for Georgia. The five-star quarterback commit in the Bulldogs 2028 class said he will stay in his original class instead of moving up to 2027, choosing a longer runway for development before he gets to college.
For Georgia, that keeps the future quarterback picture a little cleaner after already landing a pledge in the 2027 cycle. It also removes a layer of uncertainty around how quickly Wade might arrive, letting the Bulldogs keep building their roster plan with a bit more stability at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Bells Feel-Good Vikings Win Just Turned Into NFL Uncertainty
Dillon Bells path from Georgia to the NFL took another sharp turn this week, and it was a stunning one. After an encouraging preseason that included seven catches for 59 yards, the undrafted rookie wide receiver appeared to have done enough to earn a spot on the Minnesota Vikings final 53-man roster, a milestone that looked like a real payoff for his work throughout camp.
Instead, Bell was released less than 24 hours after the roster was announced, leaving his immediate future suddenly in doubt. The move stood out even in a time of constant NFL churn, especially with Minnesota choosing to carry four quarterbacks on the final roster, a wrinkle that made Bells brief stay all the more surprising for a player who had just seemed to secure his opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Sent An Early Message Georgia Fans Will Notice
Kirby Smart opened his first game-week press conference of the season by leaning into the kinds of traits Georgia fans have come to expect from his program: toughness, leadership and a strong level of conditioning. It was the sort of early-season tone-setting that usually matters more for what it signals than for what it says, especially around a program where the standard is built long before the games start.
The broader conversation around the SEC is already circling beyond the practice field, with league schools reviewing policies tied to players returning to college after NFL participation and Lane Kiffin publicly backing the players side of that debate. For Georgia, the timing adds another layer to a week that has also featured strong starts from the womens soccer and volleyball teams, giving the athletic department plenty of momentum as football begins its own next chapter. [Read more 🡒]