What could the Rams get from the Dolphins for Stetson Bennett?

As Dolphins sort out desperate QB situation, Rams could gauge their interest in Stetson Bennett

The Miami Dolphins are not winless, but to the organization and its fans the season must feel like it’s already over. With Sam Darnold and even Malik Willis having success in new situations this year though, is it possible that Stetson Bennett could help the Dolphins and save his own career should the Los Angeles Rams be open to a trade?

What once would have been a farfetched idea is now sounding realistic given two quarterback injuries in as many weeks in Miami. Should the Rams make a call to the Dolphins to offer their QB3 as a possible replacement QB1?

Dolphins situation

The Dolphins put Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve last week due to another head injury and though Miami doesn’t seem as concerned about the situation as outsiders, there will be pressure on head coach Mike McDaneil to keep his star quarterback on the sidelines. At the very least, Tua is out for three more games as the sinking Dolphins try to think of ways to survive a season in which they currently rank 32nd in scoring and achieved only 13 first downs in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks.

Miami’s -20.39 offensive EPA in Week 3 was their worst mark since Week 2 of the 2021 season, before McDaniel replaced Brian Flores in 2022. So the worst of the McDaniel era.

But it doesn’t end with Tua being out.

Backup Skylar Thompson looked lost for three quarters against the Seahawks, then left with a chest injury and was replaced by Tim Boyle, a player that the Dolphins added to the roster only one day earlier. The other backup, Tyler Huntley, only got to Miami about a week before him.

So if the Dolphins trade for a quarterback this week, he really won’t be in any different of a situation than Miami’s other two options. That is if Thompson is even available, which he might not be as he is in danger of missing Week 4.

That’s only if McDaniel still thinks Thompson gives Miami a chance to win football games. Based on how he played in Week 3, he doesn’t. The Dolphins never once threatened to score against the Seahawks on Sunday, save for a field goal that came after Seattle turned the ball over at their own six yard line.

As things stand, the Dolphins go into Week 4 either choosing between Thompson, Boyle, and Huntley, or between just Boyle and Huntley. That’s probably unavoidable even if the Dolphins acquire another quarterback this week, but Miami still has to think about Week 5 and the rest of the season. There’s no telling if Tua is ever coming back.

Rams situation

Stetson Bennett served as Matthew Stafford’s backup in the first two games, but only because Jimmy Garoppolo was suspended. In L.A.’s blowout loss to the Cardinals in Week 2, Sean McVay opted to let Stafford play it out through four quarters rather than give Bennett some reps which would have seemingly benefited everybody: Bennett needs reps, Stafford needs to be kept healthy.

So it doesn’t necessarily speak that highly of Bennett (or admittedly this trade proposal) that McVay didn’t want to play him in Week 2, but the fact is that he is still on the roster right now and it’s unclear what kind of future he could possibly have with the Rams.

Bennett struggled immensely in the Rams preseason, including four interceptions in one game (and a fifth overturned by penalty), and the team made a statement by signing Garoppolo to backup Stafford. The team has Stafford under contract for several more years, Garoppolo could be an ideal backup to keep as he’s a few years younger than Stafford and capable of keeping the team afloat should L.A. need him.

How many games does McVay want to keep a third quarterback on the roster while the Rams have the worst defense in the NFL and need more reinforcements?

To think that there’s a team out there right now desperate for any quarterback who can just throw the ball in the right direction—and Bennett’s mobility and improvisation could be handy behind Miami’s offensive line plus with their complement of weapons Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle—and the Rams have little reason to keep three quarterbacks, it’s a no-brainer to at least ponder how a trade could be beneficial to everyone.

What would Stetson Bennett be worth in trade?

Not a lot. All the more reason to think that the Dolphins should consider it.

The Packers traded a seventh round pick for Malik Willis a few weeks ago and now they’re 2-0 with a quarterback who was even worse than Stetson Bennett in his limited action with the Titans. What’s the difference, really? Willis was throwing interceptions at an alarming rate and now he has a head coach who knows how to focus on strengths and mitigate weaknesses.

Could McDaniel do something similar for Bennett?

The Rams might only get a sixth round pick, or a sixth round pick in exchange for Bennett and a seventh round pick, but they very well might have cut him at the end of training camp were it not for Garoppolo’s suspension and the Rams might be wondering if they should cut Bennett during the season anyway because of other needs. The idea that L.A. could get anything for Bennett seemed impossible a few weeks ago, but Miami’s desperation could make it feasible.

Will it happen? I doubt it, this is something that I made up. It just seems like something that the Rams should do. Whether the Dolphins should do it is up to the Dolphins, but there aren’t many options available (other teams aren’t as likely to offer up a quarterback right now) and Stetson Bennett should be close to the top of the list.