Stetson Bennett shares challenges entering final year of NFL contract

Bennett and his fans hope the former UGA star can play well enough to get a new contract with the Rams — or another team — and extend his career beyond this season.

Bennett recently shrugged off the “underdog mentality,” further insisting he does not use outside critics for motivation.

“Really it’s who’s the man in the mirror,” Bennett said during a news conference. “How are we doing today and how are we going to do tomorrow?”

Indeed, Bennett does not and has not lacked confidence; his former Georgia and current Los Angeles Rams teammates feed off the so-called “swagger” they say he brings to the huddle.

Bennett’s NFL challenge has not been his size or status as a former fourth-round pick who has yet to play in an NFL regular season game.

Rather, it’s been to learn the nuances of the game at the professional level and stay poised while waiting for an opportunity to contribute on game days, he said.

“It’s definitely tough,” Bennett said after Thursday’s practice. “We get into this because, A, we love football and, B, we love to compete.

“So definitely it was tough just, you know, watching out there, and not really doing anything in practice, not really doing anything on Sundays … not doing anything. We love to compete, so yeah it has been a test of patience and a test of willpower.”

Bennett performed well while starting in all three of the Rams’ preseason games last year, completing 44 of 64 passes for 512 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Rams head coach Sean McVay has raved about Bennett’s command of the offense and leadership this offseason, to the extent the franchise did not replaced departed veteran back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

This, with a roster many feel ranks among the best in the NFL and is Super Bowl worthy with Stafford under center.

Bennett is confident he can lead the Rams, too, just as he did at Georgia when he stepped in for injured starter JT Daniels in 2021 and led the Bulldogs to a national championship that season and the season after, taking offensive MVP honors in both College Football Playoff championship games.

“I think it’s (the NFL) a different game than college. But I feel like the more you play … you gotta play football to get better at football,” Bennett said.

“The more you play, I wouldn’t say the easier it gets, but the more familiar you get with the speed of it, with the complexity of it, all that stuff.

“It’s a little bit better understanding of it, and it’s hard to put that into words, but when you’re out there on the field, it’s a little bit better.”

Bennett has gotten more work with the Los Angeles Rams starters in this preseason, and that has helped him develop a better chemistry with his teammates.

“It’s been fun, it’s been a lot more playing football, which I guess I played last year, but it was more with the ones this year,” said Bennett, who has stayed ahead of Simpson on the depth chart. “(I’ve) felt more comfortable with the guys, and it was fun to compete.”

“I think that comes with being better at your job and having more ownership, knowing the offense more and being closer with the guys,” he said.

Bennett threw two interceptions in a recent joint practice scrimmage against the Dallas Cowboys, but both he and McVay explained the team didn’t script for the game, and lessons were learned.

“I thought we started well,” Bennett said. “I think we could have done better, me and my group, later in the practice.

“There’s things to learn, and there were good things, too.”

Bennett will be looking for more success against the Chiefs, though it’s worth noting the Rams will be playing without star receiver Puka Nacua, who is expected to miss the rest of the preseason with a groin injury.