Stetson Bennett IV set to start Rams’ preseason opener at Chiefs, Ty Simpson to see time

The Los Angeles Rams will open their 2026 preseason against the Kansas City Chiefs with Stetson Bennett IV listed as the starting quarterback, head coach Sean McVay announced Thursday. Bennett’s designation as the preseason Week 1 starter sets an early marker for how the Rams want to evaluate the quarterback position at full speed rather than in limited practice reps.

McVay also said Ty Simpson, the team’s rookie quarterback, will see playing time in the same game. That matters because preseason quarterback snaps typically function as the first extended read on timing, decision-making, and game-plan execution for multiple parts of the offense, especially for a developmental player who is still learning the pace and complexity of an NFL weekly flow.

The announcement comes as the Rams move through the early stages of training camp and the transition from offseason fundamentals to game-week responsibilities. Preseason starters are not permanent roster decisions, but they often reflect what a coaching staff believes is the most productive way to run the offense for the first series or first phases of a contest.

Bennett’s role as the opener starter suggests the Rams plan to give him the clearest early runway with the first-team group, at least for the portion of the game McVay is willing to commit to the starter look. For teams, that structure can also help the staff compare how the first- and second-unit passing attacks operate when they are asked to manage longer drives against live-game defenses.

Simpson getting time alongside Bennett indicates the Rams intend to balance evaluation with development. Rookie quarterbacks usually need repeated exposure to game speed, including pre-snap adjustments, third-down cadence, and situational protections. Seeing those reps in the first preseason week also gives the staff a quicker timeline for deciding how to distribute future opportunities.

Beyond the individual quarterback battle, the matchup framing against Kansas City carries its own learning value. The Chiefs are an organizing benchmark for NFL offenses, and preseason games against strong opponents can expose whether a team’s concepts and protection schemes translate when defenses vary their looks quickly.

What to watch next is how the Rams manage the QB rotation as the preseason progresses. The staff’s usage of Bennett and Simpson in subsequent weeks, along with how each quarterback’s drives reflect the planned game script, will be the most reliable indicators of what the preseason is prioritizing, whether it is readiness for the regular-season opener, depth chart order, or simply establishing a repeatable offensive identity.