Could Stetson Bennett become the Rams starter in 2023?
Stetson Bennett had a roller coaster draft weekend. He slid to the fourth round of the draft, and was taken by the Los Angeles Rams.
Bennett led the Georgia Bulldogs to great success during his college tenure and was drafted at 25 years old, which is uncommon.
In Stetson Bennett's preseason opener against the Chargers, he went 17/29 for 191 yards and one touchdown. The Rams' defense was crushed by the Los Angeles Chargers, who waltzed to an easy win, but Bennett showed promise.
The Rams allowed their quarterbacks to be sacked four times, which is a bit of a concern heading into the next season, given their long list of injuries.
Matthew Stafford only played nine games in the 2022 season and was not very impressive. He threw 10 touchdowns to eight interceptions before injury ended his season.
Cooper Kupp, who had arguably the greatest wide receiver season of all time in 2021, also got injured last year. Kupp was on pace for another stellar season before the injury.
The Rams traded a fortune to build their 2021 Super Bowl-winning team. The gamble had to work and it did. However, because of all the trades they made, the Rams did not have a first-round draft pick this year and their future is a concern.
As such, Stetson Bennett will hope to be the gem from the Rams' 2023 draft. You would imagine Stafford will start in September, but with his injury history, Bennett could quickly become the starter.
The Rams are in a rebuilding phase as they traded Jalen Ramsey this offseason, to gain back some capital. If things are not going well next season, the Rams could begin to tilt their heads towards the future and force Matthew Stafford out the door, leading Stetson Bennett to become QB1.
Stetson Bennett's teammate Aaron Donald is potentially entering his final season
Many people thought that Aaron Donald would ride into the sunshine following the Rams' Super Bowl win. Donald has been one of the best players in the NFL for many years and is the most feared man in football.
Donald came back for 2022, but an injury rendered him less effective. He played 11 games and recorded only 5 sacks.
The three-time defensive player of the year has a solid case to be the greatest NFL player of all time. Aaron Donald has over 100 career sacks and his role big role in the 2021 Super Bowl-winning team will further his legacy.
There have also been a few rumors that Donald may be traded by the Rams before the new season starts, with the Pittsburgh Steelers being mentioned as a suitor.
While this seems unlikely at this stage, it feels as though Aaron Donald is nearing the end of his glorious NFL career.