The Los Angeles Rams designated Stetson Bennett as the backup quarterback against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tanner McKee, who competed throughout the summer, was left off the active roster for the game.
The key issue is not whether Bennett will start, but why the Rams placed him directly behind Matthew Stafford.
3-Line Summary
1. Bennett became the Rams’ 2nd quarterback
2. McKee was left off the active roster for Week 1
3. Experience in the offensive system was the basis for the choice
Bennett Behind Stafford
Stetson Bennett was designated as the next quarterback after Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Yahoo Sports reported that the Rams selected Bennett as their 2nd quarterback for their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, while Tanner McKee became a “healthy scratch,” meaning he was ruled out despite having no health issue.
The decision was presented as the result of a competition that continued throughout the summer. According to the report, Bennett and McKee competed for Stafford’s backup role, with Bennett holding the advantage when training camp began. He reportedly maintained that edge by performing well in practice and during the preseason.
Rams head coach Sean McVay did not officially identify the winner of the competition. On game day, however, the team had to determine the actual order of play, and it placed Bennett directly behind Stafford. The coach’s description of the two players as “2A” and “2B” on the depth chart can be read to mean that the competition had not become entirely meaningless, but that the operating order for the first game had been settled in Bennett’s favor.
Experience in the Offensive System in His 4th Year
Experience in the Rams’ offensive system was presented as one reason Bennett was selected. He was entering his 4th season in the system, and Yahoo Sports explained that this made Bennett the safer choice. Because a backup quarterback may be called upon in the event of a starter’s injury or an unexpected situation, it is important that he can deliver the ball to the appropriate receiver on time and operate the team’s tactics as intended.
This assessment does not reject McKee’s ability. The same report said that McKee also showed strong performance during the preseason and training camp, building a strong case in the backup competition. Even so, for the 1st game, the Rams gave priority to Bennett, who had fewer areas left to learn.
Sports Illustrated reported that the Rams would face the 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, and introduced Stafford as the team’s starting quarterback. The comparison of the two teams’ strengths presented in that article also assumes that Stafford remains the center of the Rams’ offense. Therefore, Bennett’s designation as the 2nd quarterback was not a change of starter, but a decision about who would be the 1st available player to continue the offense if something happened to Stafford.
What McKee’s Exclusion Says About the Order for the 1st Game
The fact that McKee was left off the active roster makes Bennett’s position clearer. Bleacher Report also conveyed, through its headline, McKee’s inactive status for Week 1 and the quarterback order behind Bennett. Although the two reports used different wording, they point to the same fact: Bennett was the Rams’ next quarterback after Stafford in the quarterback rotation for the 1st game.
However, no basis was presented for viewing this order as a fixed conclusion for the entire season. Yahoo Sports mentioned the possibility that McKee could overtake Bennett or that the coaching staff’s assessment could change. What has been confirmed is Bennett’s designation as the 2nd quarterback for the game against the 49ers; it has not been announced that the competition between the two players is over.
The point most worth noting in this decision is Bennett’s experience. In the backup competition, the Rams placed in the order for the 1st game not only the player evaluated through practice and the preseason, but also the player who already understood the offense well. It would be preferable for the team if Bennett did not get an opportunity to play, but he became the player who would take over the offense 1st if needed.
References
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