After an injury-riddled 2022 season in which he suffered a concussion and a spinal cord injury, Matthew Stafford is looking to bounce back and have a strong 2023 campaign.
However, he is now 35 years of age, and the Los Angeles Rams need to prepare for life after him, as well as add some depth behind him in case of another injury.
They went ahead and brought in Brett Rypien as a free agent, and in the fourth round of April’s draft, they took quarterback Stenton Bennett.
During OTAs, he threw an impressive pass to tight end Hunter Long for a touchdown.
.@StetsonIV ➡️ @HunterLong 🎯 pic.twitter.com/WgXSXMhU5W
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 1, 2023
Bennett started his college career as a walk-on at the University of Georgia, and after not playing at all during his freshman year, he transferred to Jones College for a year, only to return to Georgia in 2019.
He was a backup that year, but got promoted to QB1 in 2020, and in 2021, he started to shine, throwing for 2,859 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Last season, Bennett led the Bulldogs to an undefeated record with 4,127 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns as they won their second straight national championship.
At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he is likely too small to have any real success at the next level, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he will definitely not make it.
Los Angeles is in transition after a very dismal Super Bowl championship defense in 2022 and after losing defensive stars Jalen Ramsey and Bobby Wagner this offseason.
They will have to make their mark more on offense behind Stafford and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson, all of whom missed considerable time last year due to injury.
NEXT:
The Rams Make A Low-Risk Addition To The Offense