Bennett

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford walks on the field before a preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 9.

(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was scheduled to work out on Saturday, a chance for the 17th-year pro to test his injured back.

But before the Rams played the Chargers at SoFi Stadium, when asked to confirm whether Stafford went through the workout, a Rams official declined to comment and said coach Sean McVay would address the situation Monday.

It was the latest mysterious and potentially troublesome turn in a saga that began at the start of training camp and continues as the Rams prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.

Stafford, 37, is working through an aggravated disc, according to McVay, a situation that has prevented him from practicing with the team.

Last Saturday, before the Rams’ preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Stafford went through a workout in Woodland Hills that included more than 60 passes, McVay said after the Rams’ 31-21 victory. The plan was for Stafford to participate in individual drills two days later.

But Stafford did not practice last week. And after a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, McVay said Stafford would go through another workout in Woodland Hills on Saturday.

Aubrey Pleasant, the Rams assistant head coach, served as head coach for the game against the Chargers and appeared for the postgame news conference. McVay was not made available to reporters.

Receiver Konata Mumpfield made multiple plays. So did running back Jarquez Hunter and other Rams rookies during training camp and a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys.

A true evaluation about their progress, however, cannot be completed by coach Sean McVay and his staff until the first-year players perform in a live-tackling situation.

The first opportunity for rookies and others to truly demonstrate that they are worthy of regular-season roles comes Saturday when the Rams play the Cowboys in a preseason game at SoFi Stadium.

But the most notable development for the Rams will probably occur hours before kickoff.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, sidelined during training camp because of an aggravated disc in his back, is scheduled to go through his first significant passing workout at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills. McVay said the 17th-year pro would begin practicing next week.

McVay does not play starters or other significant players during preseason games, so veteran backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not play.

Tight end Terrance Ferguson, a second-round draft pick, probably won’t play because of a hamstring issue that has sidelined him for the last week.

Here are five things to watch Saturday when the Rams face the Cowboys at 4 p.m. PDT (ABC):

Quarterback Stetson Bennett never appeared to lack confidence when he was leading Georgia to back-to-back national titles.

And for the first time since the Rams drafted him in 2023, Bennett is practicing with an obvious spring in his step.

With starter Matthew Stafford sidelined because of a back issue, and Jimmy Garoppolo running the first-team offense, Bennett has impressed while working with the second unit.

“Everything is just more comfortable,” Bennett said Thursday after a full-pads practice at Loyola Marymount.

Bennett, 27, played in the 2023 preseason but was out during the regular season for what he later acknowledged as a mental health issue. He returned last season, played in the preseason and was the No. 3 quarterback behind Stafford and Garoppolo.

But the tentativeness of last season appears to be gone. He has connected for touchdowns and big gains with several receivers while avoiding poor decisions and turnovers.

“Confidence, and he’s enjoying it,” coach Sean McVay said when asked what he noticed as the biggest difference in Bennett. “When you watched him play at Georgia, and even some of the preseason games, when he gets into a rhythm and he’s smiling, all these great competitors, there’s an enjoyment for mastering their craft and enjoyment of just being totally immersed in the moment, and then enjoyment of your teammates’ success.”

Bennett credits quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone for his development in the Rams’ system.

“Every day, he’ll challenge me a little bit more,” Bennett said.

Stafford and Garoppolo also have helped with their example and advice, Bennett said.

The instruction and counsel, combined with the increased amount of reps, has translated to more confident play. And more Bennett-initiated communication with Ragone after each series.

“I know a little bit more of what’s going on,” Bennett said. “Whereas last year I was a lot more reactionary, this year I kind of know what I’m looking at, and what could have changed or might have happened if I’d done something different.

“I can have a lot more conversations instead of just listening.”

Bennett said he was “bummed” that Stafford has not been able to practice, but he has been excited and has tried to take advantage of the opportunity for more reps.

Bennett is on track to get plenty of work Tuesday during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard. He also is expected to start on Aug. 9 when the Rams play the Cowboys in a preseason game at SoFi Stadium.

“It’s been two or three [years] since I’ve gotten to practice meaningful snaps, so I’m really grateful for it,” Bennett said. “And I try to be confident and ready and present every single day.

“It will be exciting to play other people. I know some dudes on the Cowboys, so that will be fun. It’s always fun to play somebody in a different color jersey.”

Etc.

Starting safety Kam Curl (ankle) is week to week and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (hamstring) will be out one to two weeks, McVay said. … Puka Nacua tipped a ball to himself in the end zone for a touchdown pass from Garoppolo. … Safety Kam Kinchens and cornerback Derion Kendrick intercepted passes by Garoppolo. … Owner Stan Kroenke attended practice. … Receiver Davante Adams was given a veteran rest day, McVay said. … The Rams are off Friday.

Television executive James Stark Bennett II, known for developing talk show “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee,” has died at 78.

Bennett, who went by Jamie, died July 6 after a fight with cancer, according to his family.

He spent more than a decade at CBS, where he was an executive at television and radio stations in San Francisco and Chicago before coming to Los Angeles, where he served as vice president and general manager at KCBS-TV.

Bennett then moved over to the Walt Disney Co., where he served as senior vice president of Buena Vista Television Productions. In that role, he developed such shows as “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee,” “Siskel & Ebert” and the game show “Win, Lose or Draw.”

He later became president and chief executive at ACI, a Los Angeles-based TV and film distributor. When ACI was bought by Britain-based Pearson Television in 1995, Bennett and his family moved to London, where he ran the company’s worldwide production.

He eventually moved back to L.A., where he got involved in volunteer work and expanded his career beyond the entertainment industry by becoming chief operating officer at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. There, he was instrumental in helping the school establish its permanent base in L.A.’s Arts District, his family said. He also served on the board of the Ojai Music Festival, later becoming its president and CEO for five years until 2020.

Bennett was born in New York City on June 1, 1947. He later graduated from UC Berkeley, where he chaired a student-run summer program in Washington, D.C., and started his media career as the program director for the university’s radio station. After getting his MBA from Harvard Business School, he moved back to New York to take a job at CBS, which launched his media career.

He and his wife, Carolyn, eventually purchased an 11-acre farm in Ojai, which became their permanent residence. Bennett is survived by his wife, Carolyn, their three children and other family members.