As Rams' Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp get healthier, Stetson Bennett turns some heads at minicamp

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald missed this week's two-day mandatory minicamp with an excused absence for personal family reasons. The Rams' two other big stars, quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, were present at the team's practice facility at California Lutheran University. More important for the Rams, they were active participants, something we haven't seen from the Super Bowl-winning duo in awhile.

This season, Stafford will make his return to the field after missing the last half of the 2022 season with a neck injury. Kupp returns after missing the last six weeks of the season with a high ankle sprain.

In the minicamp, which concluded Wednesday, Stafford appeared to make strong throws during red-zone work, and Kupp had an increased workload.

“I feel pretty good [physically]. It’s nice [to be back], I love to be out here, be able to practice and compete and play with these guys,” Stafford said. “It’s tough to sit on the sidelines like I did last year for so much time, and not be able to get any type of reps. So it feels great to get a bunch of reps this offseason, and I feel good and excited to get back this July.”

Also making strides were the Rams' new additions from free agency. Specifically, third-year receiver Tyler Johnson who signed in May, and 2020 Super Bowl champion Demarcus Robinson who signed with the Rams on June 8.

Head coach Sean McVay had high praise for the new guys, and saw strong development and performance from them this offseason and now feels more comfortable with his wide receiver corps, a group that was battered with injuries last year.

“[Tyler] is a guy that you can see is getting more comfortable, the game makes sense to him," McVay said. "He has good aggressive hands and he has a nice ability to work edges. Demarcus is a guy that’s had a lot of production with Kansas City and did a great job in Baltimore. Both of these guys have played in games, and it’s good to be able to get some of that depth.”

Another notable player returning from injury is wide receiver Van Jefferson, who missed most of the 2022 season after a pair of knee surgeries. Kupp and Jefferson were still slowly being brought back to competitive speed this week, but McVay says they will be ready to go for training camp in July.

Rookie standouts include Stetson Bennett

McVay also praised the 2023 rookie class, which he says has been productive and professional in this week’s camp.

”I’ve been really pleased with the [rookie] class in general,” McVay said. “When you look on the offensive side of the ball Puka Nacua is a guy that’s stood out. I’ve been really pleased with Steve Avila, he’s incredibly talented and gifted but we’ve been able to move him from the left [side of the offensive line] to the right, and he’s picking things up quickly. Mike McAllister has played a lot of snaps up front, and he’s been able to move around.

"Defensively Kobie Turner has done an amazing job, I’ve been impressed with his professionalism, he shines, he’s relentless and just being able to understand the nuances of what we’re asking for him.”

Also turning some heads, if minicamp praise can be taken at face value, is back-to-back national champion quarterback and fourth-round draft pick Stetson Bennett. His athleticism hasn't gone unnoticed at camp, and both Stafford and Kupp, along with McVay, spoke highly of the former Georgia Bulldog star.

"I've been really pleased with him," McVay said. "The one thing that stands out is when the ball is in Stetson's hands, the game makes sense to him. He's got a good feel for being able to get through progressions quickly. He can feel space on the back end as it relates to different coverage counters that he's seen, but he feels open areas and gets through things quickly. I love the athleticism but there's a lot of work to be done. He stays nice and steady, doesn't get too high or low, and he's fun to be around."

"He's done a great job," Stafford said. "Though it's a lot for a young guy to process and a lot to learn he's done a great job. He's got great athleticism, throws the ball well, and does a lot of things really well. I'm happy for him."

Kupp noted that Stetson made some "big-time throws" in practice.

The 2021 Super Bowl champion Rams are looking to bounce back from a 5-12 season, and it’s safe to say that expectations are not as high as they've been in previous years.

“I don’t pay too much attention to [the expectations],” Stafford said. “I know what we’re trying to build is a really good football team and that takes work. Whether people think that’s gonna happen, that doesn’t matter to us. Just because people said we should win the Super Bowl two years ago, doesn’t mean we won [because of that]. We put the work in, we executed. That’s the mindset we have, and we are happy to be where we’re at.”

The Rams get the next few weeks off before returning for training camp on July 25, in Irvine. Donald is expected back at the start of training camp, and Kupp is expected to be full speed. The Rams also have joint practices scheduled with the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders around that time.