Matthew Stafford is coming off one of the best seasons in his NFL career as he was just named league MVP. Normally that would be a sign of a long career still in front of a player, but for an aging veteran like Stafford it remained unclear how much gas is left in his tank.
Stafford and the Rams however just came to an agreement on another contract extension for one more year for an additional $55 million. This locks Stafford in with the Rams through the 2027 season which very well could be the final two seasons of his NFL career.
ESPN sources: reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and the Rams reached agreement today on a one-year, $55 million extension worth up to $60 million with incentives. Stafford now has two years and up to $105 million remaining on his deal with the Rams. pic.twitter.com/3lMmJMhk7R
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2026
That is a good reason for every Georgia fan to celebrate, but for Stetson Bennett this may have been the worst news possible.
Matthew Stafford's new contract is the worst possible news for Stetson Bennett
Ever since Bennett was drafted by the Rams in 2023 he has been the third string behind Stafford. Stafford's backup is another aging vet in Jimmy Garoppolo, but he was already debating retirement.
So it seemed like a real possibility that Bennett could step into the starting job after the 2026 season when both Stafford and Garoppolo could be retired. Stafford's contract extension however eliminates any chance of that happening.
Bennett now just has one year left on his rookie contract with the Rams. He may be hoping that they will sign him again when his contract is up, but his future is as uncertain as ever before thanks to the Rams extending Stafford.
Stetson Bennett's future is as uncertain as ever before
At this point it seems unlikely that Bennett will be with the Rams beyond this season. He will never be the starter over Stafford, so why would the Rams keep a player like Bennett who hasn't played a down of meaningful football in the NFL yet?
Georgia fans would argue that this wouldn't be fair to Bennett and that not playing during the regular season yet shouldn't matter, but NFL organizations don't really care about that. If they think it's time to move on from a player they are going to just move on.
Another massive problem for Bennett is that the Rams drafted former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of this year's draft. This shocking decision didn't even make sense to Stafford at the time. But NFL teams don't waste first round picks, so they are probably counting on Simpson being their quarterback of the future once Stafford retires.
Then when you throw in Garoppolo not retiring yet there really is little hope for Bennett in LA now.
So what happens next for Bennett? He will still compete this season to try and prove why he could be the Rams long term option, but if that doesn't work out then he will be a free agent next offseason. That means he could sign with any team he wants, and certainly there will be a team willing to take a chance on him.
The hope is that one team will want him to be their starter, but if that doesn't happen then he would be stuck being a backup for another team just like he is with the Rams.
All Bennett needs is one chance to show the NFL how good he is. It's a shame that he hasn't had an opportunity yet, but maybe leaving the Rams next year will be the best thing that happens to him.
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