THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams placed rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett IV on their nonfootball injury list Wednesday.
Rams coach Sean McVay wouldn’t give any details about the reason for the move with Bennett, who began his college football career at Georgia as a walk-on player but led the Bulldogs to the past two national championships before Los Angeles selected him in the fourth round of April’s NFL draft.
“There are certain things that I think are a little bit bigger and more important, and out of respect for the particulars and the specifics, want to be able to keep it in house,” McVay said.
Bennett missed the Rams’ season opener, a 30-17 NFC West Division win against the host Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, with what the team said was a shoulder injury, presumably related to Bennett’s heavy work in training camp and the preseason.
McVay said Bennett’s move to the NFI list was not related to his shoulder injury. The coach also said he has met with Bennett recently.
“Out of respect for him and the situation, I’m going to leave all the specifics and particulars in house,” McVay said. “So not going to really have any follow-up information or anything I’ll give in that regard.”
The Rams were counting on Bennett to be their primary backup to Matthew Stafford. McVay said that for now newcomer Brett Rypien, who joined the team’s practice squad after playing in the preseason, will take the backup role behind Stafford.
“The fortunate thing for us is that Brett Rypien has been in house,” McVay said. “He’s on our practice squad. He was the backup last week, and he’s going to continue to be in that situation until anything changes on that note.”
Bennett was the first quarterback drafted by the Rams during McVay’s seven seasons in charge — Stafford, another former Georgia quarterback who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2009, came to the team via trade two years ago — and McVay spoke extensively about his desire to help Bennett to become an effective professional.
Los Angeles hadn’t drafted a quarterback since choosing Jared Goff first overall in 2016. Goff was part of the trade with the Lions that brought in Stafford, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory his first season in Los Angeles.
Bennett’s final game for Georgia was its 65-7 blowout victory over TCU in the College Football Playoff final in January at SoFi Stadium, where the Rams play their home games and won Super Bowl LVI with Stafford. Bennett also won the Manning Award, which is given to the nation’s top collegiate quarterback and takes into account postseason play, as opposed to other similar honors.
Bryce Perkins and John Wolford were Stafford’s backups last season, but the Rams cut ties with both in the offseason. Baker Mayfield, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played the Rams’ final five games of last season while Stafford was injured.
The Rams will play another division game in their home opener Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers (1-0) visit SoFi Stadium.