The Los Angeles Rams have always played fast and loose under Sean McVay, and two positions that have come back to haunt him are backup quarterback and kicker.
The Rams have had a difficult time at kicker, save for when they were fortunate enough to get Greg Zuerlein and later Matt Gay. As of right now, it’s unclear whether Los Angeles will make a determined effort to locate a trustworthy kicker in 2024.
However, what steps should Les Snead and McVay take to improve the backup quarterback position?
Jared Goff started nearly every game between 2017 and 2020, however at the close of the latter season, the team was forced to use John Wolford, which paved the way for the Rams to acquire Matthew Stafford in a trade. Despite making it through 2021 without having to use the backups, L.A. was unaware of how difficult their situation was until Stafford missed part of 2022. After Baker Mayfield was claimed off waivers in the middle of the season, the team ultimately required him to start five games.
The Rams eventually selected a quarterback last year when they chose Stetson Bennett in the fourth round, although he may have had personal problems. Bennett played little during the preseason before sitting out the entire campaign. It’s doubtful that Bennett will ever return to the Rams.
After Brett Rypien had a terrible debut, Los Angeles eventually signed a seasoned veteran in Carson Wentz. The Rams had not had a backup quarterback who had started a pivotal game since Blake Bortles, until Mayfield and Wentz were acquired in the midst of the season.
What then ought to Snead and McVay accomplish in 2024 regarding Stafford’s backup?
Sign Carson Wentz again
Restore Stetson Bennett.
Sign with another free agent.
Invest a high enough choice in a quarterback to make the assumption that he might be the backup.
The Rams could definitely accomplish two of these goals: sign Wentz and re-sign Bennett. However, bear in mind that doing three or four of these maneuvers would be uncommon. Only one of them might be the real backup, even if L.A. does sign Wentz, retain Bennett, and choose a quarterback in the third round, for example.
Is Wentz interested in playing backup quarterback for a team that selects players in the draft? Does he wish to go up against a rookie and Bennett?
But if the Rams choose a quarterback in the draft and bring back Bennett, they’re essentially back to square one with Bryce Perkins and John Wolford. It was precisely this uncertainty that led to L.A.’s downfall.
If Bennett is approved to return and is not a liability, signing Wentz and bringing him back might be the wisest course of action. The Rams could be better off keeping a dependable veteran like Wentz or a free agent signee and then selecting a quarterback on day three to keep the pipeline flowing if he is undoubtedly not coming back.
How should the Rams proceed, in your opinion? Tell us in the comments below.
