Who should be the Rams backup QB?

Rams fans: What should the Rams do about Matthew Stafford’s backup situation?

Under Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams have always played fast and loose with two positions that have come back to bite him: Kicker and backup quarterback.

Other than inheriting Greg Zuerlein and then lucking into Matt Gay, the Rams have been through hell and back at kicker. So far there is no clear indication one way or another if L.A. will make a concerted effort to find a reliable kicker in 2024.

But what should McVay and Les Snead do about the backup quarterback position?

From 2017-2020, Jared Goff played almost every game until finally the team had to work with John Wolford at the end of the 2020 season, setting the table for the Rams to make a trade for Matthew Stafford. Making it all the way through 2021 without needing to call on the backups, L.A. didn’t know how bad they had it until Stafford missed half of 2022. By the end, the team had needed Baker Mayfield to start five games after claiming him on waivers at midseason.

Then last year, the Rams finally drafted another quarterback by selecting Stetson Bennett in the fourth round but he came with potential character issues. Bennett was uneven in the preseason and then inactive for the regular season. It is unclear if the Rams will ever bring back Bennett.

Following a disastrous start by Brett Rypien, L.A. finally went out and signed a proven veteran in Carson Wentz. Not since Blake Bortles have the Rams had a backup quarterback who had started meaningful games, until Mayfield and Wentz were picked up in the middle of the season.

So what should Snead and McVay do about Stafford’s backup in 2024:

Re-sign Carson Wentz

Bring back Stetson Bennett

Go sign a different free agent

Draft a quarterback with a high enough pick to assume he could be the backup

The Rams could certainly do two of these things, like sign Wentz and bring back Bennett. But keep in mind that it would be unusual to do three or four of these moves. Even if L.A. does sign Wentz, keep Bennett, and draft a third round quarterback (for example), only one of them could be the true backup.

Does Wentz want to be on a team that drafts competition to be the backup quarterback? Does he want to compete against Bennett and a rookie?

However, if the Rams bring back Bennett and draft a quarterback, they’re kind of back to square John Wolford/Bryce Perkins. This is the same uncertainty that got L.A. in trouble.

The best option might be to sign Wentz and bring back Bennett, assuming that Bennett is cleared to return and not be a liability. If he’s definitely not returning, then it could be in the Rams best interest to keep a reliable veteran like Wentz or a free agent signee and then draft a quarterback on day three to keep the pipeline moving.

What do you think the Rams should do? Let us know in the comments.