Earlier this week LA Rams head coach Sean McVay said that Stetson Bennett most likely won’t play during the preseason. Then just a few days later Bennett was named their starting quarterback for their first preseason game on Saturday. This change of heart is hard to explain since the Rams typically rest their veteran players in the preseason, but the they may have an ulterior motive involving a potential trade in Bennett’s future.
The Rams most likely will ride with rookie quarterback Ty Simpson into the future after this season. They just used a first round draft pick on him this year, so it’s hard to imagine they’d give up on him after one season. They however could give up on Bennett because his contract expires after this season, but instead of letting him walk for free in free agency they could try to trade him during the season.
The LA Rams may be posturing to trade Stetson Bennett later this season
The Rams have three quarterbacks on their roster that they trust right now. That is already one more than most NFL organizations carry on their active 53-man roster, so it may make sense to trade Bennett especially since his contract expires after this year and NFL analysts think the Rams more than likely won't resign him.
The only problem with wanting to trade him is that he hasn't played many meaningful downs of football in the regular season. This could deter teams from trading for him because they won't really know what they are getting from him.
Matthew Stafford will be the Rams' starting quarterback again this year too, so unless he is injured Bennett once again won't play a meaningful snap this season either. So the next best thing is letting him play during the preseason so he can show teams what he's made of.
This is one reason why the Rams could've changed their minds and are letting him play now. No one in the Rams organization has even hinted at wanting trade him, but they could be posturing knowing that could come at some point the regular season.
Stetson Bennett being traded could be the best thing for his NFL future
Bennett being traded this year could be the best thing for his NFL future. If he wants to be a full time starter than his future clearly isn't with the Rams, so being traded to a desperate team later this season would finally give him a real chance to prove himself during the regular season.
All Bennett needs is one opportunity. That's all it took for him to prove himself at Georgia and become a legend, so maybe that's all it would take for him to excel in the NFL too. The Rams won't give him that opportunity since Matthew Stafford is signed with the team for two more years and they just used a first round pick on Ty Simpson, but another team may take that chance if they get desperate enough.
Another NFL team may realize they don't have a good enough quarterback on their roster to make a push for the playoffs. They also might get put in a desperate position if a few quarterback injuries occur. If those scenarios occur they could look to trade for a new QB, and Bennett would be a cheap option the Rams could be willing to move on from.
If this is ever going to happen Bennett has to put himself in position to be worthy of a trade, and the best way for him to at least give himself a chance to be traded is by playing well in the Rams' preseason game.
Kickoff for the Rams' preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15 at 4:00 pm EST.
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