Training camp is rapidly approaching, with just two weeks until the Los Angeles Rams are back on the field at Loyola Marymount University. Leading up to camp, we’re taking a closer look at each position group, beginning with the quarterbacks.
The Rams know Matthew Stafford will be their starting quarterback again this season, but they have to decide who will back him up as the QB2. That competition will come down to two players: Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett.
Things will heat up once camp opens later this month.
Roster locks
Stafford announced his return for his 18th NFL season after accepting his MVP award in February, and he got a fresh contract update from the Rams in May. He’s locked in for the 2026 season, attempting to win his second Super Bowl ring in Los Angeles.
Simpson is also certain to make the team as a first-round rookie. He can perform terribly in camp and the preseason and still be guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster because of his draft pedigree. The Rams view him as a backup for now and a potential successor to Stafford in the future.
Likely to make it
You could make the case that Stetson Bennett is likely to make the team, but with Stafford and Simpson already locked in, the Rams could choose to keep just two quarterbacks this year, especially with how much depth they have at other positions.
On the bubble
If Bennett continues to develop the way he did last season, he’ll make the team. He’ll be too valuable to cut and would likely be scooped up by one of the other 31 teams off waivers. But if he can’t beat out Simpson in camp and the preseason, he’ll be expendable. The Rams don’t need two mid-level backups behind Stafford. They need one guy they can trust to fill in if needed.
Bennett has the skills to be a solid QB2 in the NFL but he doesn’t have the long-term upside that Simpson does.
Position battle to watch
Ever since the Rams signed Jimmy Garoppolo in 2024, they haven’t had a real competition at backup quarterback. Garoppolo has been entrenched as their QB2 for the last two years, but it’s a legitimate battle now between Simpson and Bennett.
What makes this competition fascinating is the differing levels of experience. Simpson is the wide-eyed rookie who’s guaranteed a roster spot because of when he was drafted, while Bennett has three years in the Rams’ system and has continued to improve.
This competition more so comes down to how Simpson plays and less about how Bennett looks. If Simpson crushes it in camp and the preseason, the Rams will feel comfortable making him their QB2. But if he deals with some rookie growing pains, which is to be expected, the Rams could play it safe and go with Bennett instead.
Potential sleeper
There aren’t any sleepers at quarterback this year. The Rams know what they have in their three quarterbacks, with no one set to surprise the team in practice.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams training camp preview: Ty Simpson or Stetson Bennett as QB2?
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
