The Rams—didn’t just hope for their second-year quarterback to be a reliable backup for the 2024 season—they needed it. But after throwing four interceptions in his first preseason game, all of which were largely his own mistakes, the Rams may have no choice but to consider signing or trading for a free-agent quarterback this week.
Stetson Bennett just threw his third interception of the game 😬pic.twitter.com/A4IWdPVKvm
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) August 11, 2024
With Jimmy Garoppolo suspended for the first two weeks of the season, relying solely on this quarterback or Dresser Winn as backup options might be too risky for Sean McVay to ignore.
The quarterback forced four throws into tight windows occupied by Dallas Cowboys defenders, derailing three potential scoring drives in L.A.’s preseason opener. While winning the game might not be crucial, missing opportunities to let offensive skill players make plays and score touchdowns is significant.
It’s not entirely surprising that Bennett had a rough debut in 2024, especially for those who recall his actual performance in the 2023 preseason, which contrasts with last year’s narratives claiming he was “good,” “mobile,” and poised to become an NFL starter. Similar things were said about Bryce Perkins and John Wolford based on their preseason performances for the Rams.
However, Bennett has somehow performed even worse than those two.
With Matthew Stafford and Garoppolo sitting out the entire preseason, Bennett and Winn are the only options for the final two exhibition games. Bennett will likely start next week against the Chargers, and he’ll probably perform better than he did against the Cowboys—it would be hard not to. But this doesn’t change the fact that Bennett, who missed most of last season’s practices, has yet to give any indication that L.A. has a viable backup option when Garoppolo is suspended or if either of the top two quarterbacks are sidelined in 2024.
The real issue is cap space.
Markquese Bell picks off Stetson Bennett pic.twitter.com/wfEkdKHvVB
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 11, 2024
The Rams have around $11.8 million in cap space, which is just enough to get through the season, covering practice squad salaries, IR placements, and in-season transactions. Typically, teams need between $11-$14 million for such operational expenses. This means the Rams would require additional cap space if they were to sign a quarterback like Ryan Tannehill, who likely wouldn’t consider joining the Rams as long as Garoppolo is expected to return as the backup, making such a move impractical for now.
Instead, the Rams might need to explore trade options or wait for final roster cuts, which come with their own risks and downsides—such as sacrificing assets for a temporary fix or picking up a quarterback who wasn’t good enough to make another team’s roster. A player like P.J. Walker represents the type of veteran QB likely to be available in September.
