The Rams have made their call at backup quarterback, at least for Week 1, and it points back to experience.
Ahead of their opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles released its depth chart with Stetson Bennett listed as the No. 2 quarterback behind Matthew Stafford. That comes after a preseason in which Ty Simpson pushed his way into the conversation, even if the Rams never fully said so out loud.
Simpson’s case was built on what he did with his chances. In the first preseason game, he completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, which forced the Rams to at least treat the backup spot like a real competition. He followed that with a quieter outing in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, then finished strong against the Los Angeles Chargers, going 18-for-23 for 119 yards and a touchdown.
Before that preseason finale, Sean McVay wasn’t ready to tip his hand. “We haven't talked about that or decided that yet. We can talk about it, but we haven't decided that yet.”
Since then, the topic has mostly stayed in the background. McVay wasn’t asked about it in the first press conference after the preseason, when the focus was on Aaron Donald’s return, and the Rams haven’t publicly dwelled on it. But the depth chart told the story anyway.
Bennett getting the nod over Simpson is the kind of decision that invites debate, because Simpson looked like the steadier passer through the preseason. Bennett had moments, especially in the first half against the Saints, but Simpson’s overall body of work was more consistent.
That matters because if Stafford ever has to miss time, the Rams would be in a tough spot regardless. Stafford has been healthy for the most part and hasn’t missed a game because of injury since 2023. Still, if the offense ever has to lean on a backup, the question becomes simple: who gives Los Angeles the best chance to function?
The Rams faced a version of that question in 2022, when John Wolford was listed ahead of Baker Mayfield after Mayfield joined the team. Wolford had the familiarity and the mobility, but when it came down to it, Mayfield was the better choice.
This year, Simpson looks like the more intriguing option. Yet the depth chart says Bennett is the one behind Stafford right now.
For some, that creates a bad look. A 13th overall pick spending an entire offseason unable to move past a quarterback who has spent the last three years as the third-stringer is not exactly a great visual. The Rams may not care much about optics, but that part is hard to ignore.
At the same time, this is how the Rams usually operate with young players. They bring them along slowly. Terrance Ferguson was a healthy scratch in Weeks 3 and 4 last season, and Simpson’s situation fits that same pattern of patient development.
The setup isn’t even unique to Los Angeles. In 2020, the Green Bay Packers listed Tim Boyle ahead of Jordan Love. The message there, and now, is that a rookie or developmental quarterback can spend time learning without it automatically being a setback.
That’s where Simpson is now. The Rams seem comfortable letting him grow at his own pace, and the preseason suggested the gap between him and Bennett is not a big one. For the moment, though, Bennett’s experience is what appears to have won out.
Los Angeles can always revisit the position later if Simpson keeps picking up the offense and the season changes the calculus. For now, the Rams are hoping the whole discussion becomes irrelevant because Stafford stays upright and the quarterback order behind him never comes into play.
With Week 1 here and the 49ers on deck, Simpson’s work will mostly come in the classroom and in the background. He may be third on the depth chart, but the Rams still seem to view this as a long-term development story, not a verdict on where he’s headed.
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