As the Rams prepare for the first of their three preseason games, coach Sean McVay has made a decision as to whether one of his top backup quarterbacks will play. As to the other, McVay has not.
McVay told reporters on Saturday that rookie first-rounder Ty Simpson “definitely” will play.
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As to veteran Stetson Bennett, McVay said this: “I haven’t decided on Stetson yet.”
If Bennett doesn’t play, the 12 quarters of preseason reps will be handled by Simpson and Matthew Caldwell, an undrafted rookie who finished his college career at Texas.
Bennett, 28, was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft. He has yet to make a regular-season appearance for the Rams.
Eventually, McVay will have to decide whether Simpson or Bennett (or, in theory, Caldwell) will serve as the No. 2 quarterback behind 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. The decision surely will be influenced by Simpson’s performance in the preseason.
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Depending on how things go, the Rams may need to revisit the possibility of persuading Jimmy Garoppolo, who is open to playing in 2026, to serve as Stafford’s understudy for a third straight season. McVay may not know for sure until after the third preseason game.
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